LONDON - Britain's parliament voted in favour of revamping Brexit trade rules in Northern Ireland, helping pave the way for the return of the region's power-sharing government for the first time in almost two years.

Lawmakers in the House of Commons approved, without a formal vote, the changes that reaffirm Northern Ireland's place within the United Kingdom and mean ministers will be under a legal requirement to assess whether any new legislation could impact trade between Northern Ireland and Britain.

Northern Ireland has been without a devolved government after the Democratic Unionist Party walked out in protest over post-Brexit trade rules, which it said created barriers with the rest of the United Kingdom and undermined Northern Ireland's place in it. REUTERS