The Brexit has officially begun, with Prime Minister Theresa May commencing the two year count down. In a statement released in the House of Commons, she said, "Today the government acts on the democratic will of the British people and it acts too on the clear and convincing position of this House." She added, "This is an historic moment from which there can be no turning back. The Article 50 process is now under way and in accordance with the wishes of the British people the United Kingdom is leaving the European Union."
May's six page letter was handed over to the EU Council President Donald Tusk by the UK's Ambassador to the EU Sir Tim Barrow, triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. Calling for a "deep and special" partnership in the best interests of both the parties involved, it underlined that the UK wanted to agree a trade deal alongside a withdrawal deal within the two year time table allowed.
May promised to "represent every person in the whole United Kingdom" during the negotiations and said that Britain would now make its own decisions and its own laws and "take control of the things that matter most to us, and we are going to take this opportunity to build a stronger, fairer Britain, a country that our children and grandchildren are proud to call home."
Donald Tusk released a brief statement saying the EU's aim in negotiations was "damage limitation" and to "minimise costs" for EU citizens, businesses, and member states. Meanwhile, Liberal Democrats, who oppose Brexit, said May was "pulling the trigger that will set in motion a chain of events which will change this country forever, and doing so without a proper plan." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said his party respected the decision to leave and would hold the government to account "every step of the way". "Britain is going to change as a result," he said. "the question is, how?"
