Peers support PM’s plan to invoke Article 50 and trigger EU exit talks
THERESA May is set to launch the two-year countdown to Britain leaving the European Union on March 27 as the House of Lords passed the Brexit bill in a historic vote last night.
Peers gave their backing to the Prime Minister’s plan to invoke Article 50 – with the date of the announcement set to be two weeks later than anticipated – that will see the Brussels talks triggered.
The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill passed shortly before 10.30pm – one week after peers had rejected the proposed legislation.
The final vote by the unelected upper chamber was 274 to 118 in favour, giving the Government benches a 156 majority, against a proposed amendment to insist on a meaningful parliamentary vote on the final terms of Britain’s exit deal.
It now only needs to be given Royal Assent to become law.
Brexit campaigners welcomed the result of the vote.
Tory MP Dominic Raab said: “Now, it’s time to go into these negotiations with some ambition and support the Government, so it can secure the very best deal – one that is good for the whole UK, and good for the EU too.”
The Prime Minister had been widely expected to announce the launching of Article 50 today, but No 10 indicated that Mrs May would not press ahead almost immediately and instead would wait until towards the end of the month.
It denied it had anything to do with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s announcement on a second Scottish independence referendum.
Ministers have to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty to start the official two-year process of withdrawal from the EU.
Doing so within hours of the historic parliamentary vote risked a clash with a general election in the Netherlands, where EU membership is a key electoral battleground.
EU leaders are also expected to meet in Rome on March 25 to mark the 60th anniversary of the organisation.
In a day of drama in the UK Parliament, the Government comfortably fought off two Liberal Democrat bids to again amend the Brexit bill in the Lords.
Firstly, MPs voted to reject two changes made by peers last week to the bill.
MPs voted against a proposal to unilaterally guarantee the rights of EU nationals living in the UK within three months, by 335 votes to 287, majority 48.
They then voted against an amendment designed to give Parliament a “meaningful” vote on the final deal, by 331 votes to 286, majority 45.
Later in the Lords, with Brexit Secretary David Davis – who had urged MPs to throw out the Lords’ amendments – watching from the bar of the House, a LibDem move to reinsert an amendment on the rights of EU nationals living in the UK was rejected by 274 votes to 135.
Before the final vote, and amid continued wrangling among peers, Viscount Hailsham, who had previously backed the amendment, said: “We have asked the Commons to think again, they have thought again, they have not taken our advice, and our role now I believe is not to insist.”
‘‘ We have asked the Commons to think again, they have thought again, they have not taken our advice, and our role now I believe is not to insist