Britain moved one step closer to a final separation from the EU as members of the UK parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of allowing the Government to begin Brexit negotiations.
Members of the House of Commons voted on Wednesday Feb 01,2017 by 498 to 114 to advance the bill that would give Prime Minister Theresa May the authority to invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty —— the formal process of leaving the EU.
The vote came after two days of debate that exposed divisions within the ruling Conservative party and the main opposition Labour party.
The bill now faces further scrutiny in the Commons and the House of Lords before it can become law.
Earlier, Prime Minister Theresa May had confirmed that she will be publishing a White Paper on her Brexit strategy.
In response to a query by Conservative MP Maria Miller, May told the House of Commons: “I can inform my Right Hon Friend and the House that that White Paper will be published tomorrow (Thursday)“.
Under pressure from the Opposition and some of her own rebel MPs, the British PM had announced last week that she would be publishing a White Paper on the negotiating plans for Britain’s exit from the EU in due course.
“The White Paper will reflect the plan already set out by the Prime Minister Theresa May in her Brexit speech,” a Downing Street spokesperson told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday morning.
The confirmation of a date for the White Paper came as MPs continued a second day of debate on the so—called Brexit Bill, which will give May the authority to invoke Article 50 and trigger the official Brexit negotiations with the EU.
“History has been made,” British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson tweeted after the voting.
The government was expected to win despite the Liberal Democrats and Scottish National Party voting against it.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had issued a three—line whip, a strong disciplinary order, to his MPs to back the bill.
However, many Labour MPs had already indicated they would defy that whip, including Indian—origin MP Virendra Sharma.
Labour rebels joined MPs from the SNP, Liberal Democrat party, the SDLP, Green MP Caroline Lucas and Tory MP Ken Clarke in an attempt to stop May invoking Article 50 and starting the process of leaving the EU.
A total of 90 MPs are likely to oppose the bill, not enough to stop Prime Minister Theresa May moving a step closer to be able to work towards her declared timeline of wanting to invoke Article 50 by the end of March 2017
Triggering Article 50 gives the UK two years to negotiate a separation deal with the 27 other members of the EU
David Davis, minister for exiting the European Union, had opened the debate in the House of Commons with a clear message to MPs that they must implement a decision made by the people in the June 2016 referendum — with 51.9 per cent wanting to leave the EU and 48.1 per cent wanting to remain within the 28-nation economic bloc.
Former Labour Party leader Ed Miliband said he would support the measure but outlined major concerns over Brexit’s impact on Britain’s future global relationships — particularly with the United States.
“I can go along with the Prime Minister that ‘Brexit means Brexit,'” he said. “But I cannot go along with the idea that Brexit means Trump. And nor do I believe that is inevitable, and nor do I believe that is what the British people want either.”
Former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne, who was a vocal supporter of Britain remaining in the European Union, said he would nonetheless vote in favor of the bill to respect the democratic will of the people
Note
In a landmark day on June 25,2016 for the United Kingdom, Britain has voted to leave the European Union following a referendum that captured the world's attention.
