European Union – The Brexit

The EU (Withdrawal) Bill receives Royal Assent.

On Wednesday 27th June 2018 Queen Elizabeth II gave the Royal Ascent to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill which now becomes an Act and passes into UK law.

The Act ensures that current EU law becomes entwined with UK law allowing for an orderly exit from the EU since all requisite laws will be in place.

It is expected around 800 pieces of secondary legislation will be needed. The Government will use powers in the Bill to repeal the European Union Act 2011 as agreed by Parliament.

Prime Minister Theresa May triggers Article 50.

At 12.30pm on Wednesday 29th March 2017 a letter triggering the exit from the European Union by the United Kingdom was handed to the EU President Donald Tusk in Brussels.

The UK will now formally leave the EU in two years. During this time the UK will try and create an acceptable deal with the remaining 27 countries of the EU.

Downing Street announce Article 50 will be triggered on Wednesday 29th March 2017.

This means that the official negotiations for the UK to leave the European Union can now begin with a result required by March 29th 2019.

House of Lords pass Brexit Bill allowing it to receive the Royal Assent.

The House of Lords have finally passed the Brexit Bill after making two changes to it which were then defeated by the House of Commons.

The Bill can now receive the Royal Assent allowing it to become an Act.

The result of the Act means that the Prime Minister can now trigger Article 50 to begin the official discussions with the EU concerning conditions for the UK to leave the EU.

The House of Lords had originally made two ammendments.
1. This concerned protecting the rights of EU citizens in the UK.
2. Which pushed for requiring a meaningful parliamentary vote on the final deal.
Both ammendments were defeated by MP’s in the House of Commons and were removed from the final Bill.

Philip Hammond confirms UK is leaving the EU.

At the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham today (Monday October 3rd 2016) Philip Hammond, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, said, “No ifs, no buts, no second referendum, we are leaving the European Union.”

Theresa May to introduce Repeal Act in Queens Speech.

Prime Minister May is to introduce an EU Repeal Act in the forthcoming Queens Speech.

The Bill will remove the European Communities Act 1972 from the statute book. May says this would make the UK an independent sovereign nation.

The repeal of the 1972 Act takes effect when the UK leaves the EU under Article 50. The Repeal Act will enshrine existing EU law into British Law and would allow the Government to amend or cancel any legislation after Brexit.

Repeal Act would also end the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice.

Britain votes to leave the EU.

The result of the referendum which was taken to see if voters wished to Leave or Remain in the EU was as follow:-

Remain 16,141,241 48.11%

Leave 17,410,742 51.89%

The British people had voted democratically to leave the European Union.