The British Parliament supported draft of the European Union Bill in an overwhelming vote of 494 to 122. The move will boost Prime Minister Theresa May to begin crucial negotiations by March 31, on leaving the European Union. May can soon invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty to begin a two-year period of negotiations for the UK's new deal as a non-member of the EU by 2019.
With the bill passing the House of Commons, it will be debated in the House of Lords once it returns from recess on February 20. The Commons had debated the last set of amendments, including key principles for the negotiation process, before the bill moved on to its third and final reading for the vote. Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott backed the bill this time, after missing last week's initial vote on the bill. She said she had a "lot of misgivings about the idea of a Tory Brexit" and predicted the UK would "come to regret it". The vote was welcomed as an important concession by Keir Starmer, shadow Brexit secretary.
UK Minister for exiting the EU, David Davis 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. He later called it a "historic vote" and that it was now time for everyone to unite and make a success of the important task at hand for the country. Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said the party's peers would seek to amend the bill in the Lords, including another attempt to ensure a referendum on the final Brexit deal.
The Bill was tabled last month after the Supreme Court ruled that MPs and Peers must have a say before Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty could be initiated.
