British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government was defeated in Parliament on Monday for the first time since a December election, with the upper chamber voting in favor of a move to protect the rights of EU citizens in Britain after Brexit.

Johnson's Conservatives won a large majority in the lower chamber, the House of Commons, at the Dec. 12 vote and lawmakers there quickly approved the legislation needed to ratify his exit deal with Brussels earlier this month.

The legislation is now passing through the House of Lords, where the government does not have a majority. While the upper chamber is not expected to block passage of the bill, it is seeking to make changes.