UK parliament gives final approval for Brexit bill

UK’s House of Lords gave its final approval on the Brexit bill on 13 March 2017, thereby paving way for the Theresa May government to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon treaty, the legal method to initiate UK’s exit from the European Union.

The bill had faced opposition in the UK’s House of Commons over its inability to protect rights of EU citizens living in the UK after Brexit.

Key Highlights

• The upper house in its final reading that voted in favour of a meaningful parliamentary vote on the final terms of Brexit.

• The objections of the Peers were completely overturned by the MPs in the House of Lords, who voted 274 to 118 in favour of the bill being passed unaltered.

• The bill is expected to receive Royal Assent and become a law on 14 March 2017.

• The bill’s passing enables Theresa May to formally initiate the Brexit process this week itself.

• The process would involve almost two years of talks, which will end with Britain becoming the first country to leave the European Union bloc.

This decision comes in the wake of protests from Scotland, whose First Minister has demanded for a new independence reference between the second half of 2018 and the first half of 2019.

Scotland's first minister seeks new independence referendum