U.K. prime minister says formal Brexit process will begin by the end of March

British Prime Minister Theresa May said Sunday the formal process of removing the United Kingdom from the European Union will be underway by spring. "As you know, I've been saying that we wouldn't trigger before the end of this year so that we can get some preparation in place," she told the BBC. "But yes, I will be saying in my speech today that we will trigger before the end of March next year."

May will invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty early in 2017, starting a two-year negotiation process that will see Brexit accomplished by summer 2019, three years after U.K. voters approved the plan. "I hope, that I'll be saying to [the European Union], now they know what the timings will be, that we'll be able to have some preparatory work so that once the trigger comes we have a smoother process of negotiation," May said.

May's Conservative Party also announced its intention to introduce a "Great Repeal Bill" that will allow the U.K. to retain, discard, or amend existing EU law to which it is still subject until Brexit is complete.

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