Britain's repeal bill unveiled

The repeal bill - formerly the 'great repeal bill' - is one of the largest legislative projects in British history, and it goes before MPs for the first time today. It repeals the European Communities Act of 1972 and signifies that the British are taking control of their legal future.

The bill ends the supremacy of EU courts

The repeal bill aims to transpose thousands of EU laws and directives into British law to allow for the Brexit transition. The bill, the centrepiece of the 2017 Queen's Speech, is designed to ensure that laws created by the European Union will no longer apply in the UK. Prime Minister Theresa May has called it an "essential step" on the path to a smooth Brexit.

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The bill repeals the 1972 European Communities Act which formalised the UK's membership of the EU and allowed European law to take precedence over legislation passed by UK lawmakers. The bill aims to end the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice over the UK, says the BBC.

It might come into force after October

Details of the bill were published on 30 March, the day after May triggered Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. But the Commons might not vote on the flagship bill until October or even later, to sidestep a possible Tory rebellion to back a soft Brexit, the Huffington Post UK claims.

The UK will embrace EU laws - at first

It would be impossible for the UK to replace all European legislation by 29 March, 2019, which is the date the UK exits the EU. Instead, the UK plans to adopt EU laws, at least in the short term, to maximise certainty for individuals and businesses, May's office said in a briefing. Future UK governments can then amend, improve or repeal laws, subject to international treaty obligations.

There are almost 19,000 pieces of EU-related legislation in force, including more than 5,000 EU regulations and almost 900 EU directives, according to the House of Commons library. An estimated 13.2 per cent of UK laws enacted between 1993 and 2004 are related to the EU, according to Bloomberg and the House of Commons library. The government will need to pass up to 1,000 statutory instruments to change EU law after March 2019, according to Brexit Department estimates.

The Henry VIII clauses are the most controversial part

The Henry VIII clauses relate to mechanisms used by government to change laws. They refer to the Statute of Proclamation 1539, which allowed Henry VIII to legislate by making a proclamation, which had to be obeyed like an Act of Parliament. The clauses have been criticised by some MPs, who say they give government powers that should be reserved to parliament.

Some MPs are rebelling

The bill is likely to encounter resistance in parliament, with "MPs of all parties and political persuasions set to attempt to shape the bill to their own agendas", says Business Insider.

The BBC reports that opposition parties are expected to challenge the bill, meaning the Prime Minister could be forced to "water down" some of the government's more hardline positions on Brexit, such as plans to leave certain EU institutions and revoke the power of the European Court of Justice.