On Monday night, Britain's Parliament gave final approval to a European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, handing Prime Minister Theresa May unrestricted authority to trigger the U.K.'s exit from the European Union and negotiate the terms of the cleaving without further input from lawmakers. The House of Commons had approved the bill in February, and on Monday it rejected two amendments approved by the upper House of Lords — one guaranteeing EU citizens the right to live in Britain and the other giving Parliament a final vote on the Brexit deal. On Monday night, after the lower house ping-ponged the bill back, the House of Lords approved it without the amendments.
May has said she plans to to invoke Article 50 of the EU charter by March 31, formally beginning the Brexit process. Hours before Parliament voted, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced plans to hold a second Scottish independence vote to give Scots a chance to stay in the EU, opening the possibility — if May approves the Scottish referendum — that England could both leave the EU and dissolve its 300-year-old union with Scotland.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Why are people microdosing Ozempic?In The Spotlight Tiny doses of the weight-loss drug can sidestep its unpleasant side effects, say influencers. But is customising the dose a good idea?
-
Five festive cocktails for Christmas 2024The Week Recommends Serve seasonal libations for an extra special gathering
-
Octopuses could be the next big species after humansUNDER THE RADAR What has eight arms, a beaked mouth, and is poised to take over the planet when we're all gone?
-
Putin says Russia isn't weakened by Syria setbackSpeed Read Russia had been one of the key backers of Syria's ousted Assad regime
-
Georgia DA Fani Willis removed from Trump caseSpeed Read Willis had been prosecuting the election interference case against the president-elect
-
Democrats blame 'President Musk' for looming shutdownSpeed Read The House of Representatives rejected a spending package that would've funding the government into 2025
-
Trump, Musk sink spending bill, teeing up shutdownSpeed Read House Republicans abandoned the bill at the behest of the two men
-
Congress reaches spending deal to avert shutdownSpeed Read The bill would fund the government through March 14, 2025
-
Luigi Mangione charged with murder, terrorismSpeed Read Magnione is accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson
-
Will Starmer's Brexit reset work?Today's Big Question PM will have to tread a fine line to keep Leavers on side as leaks suggest EU's 'tough red lines' in trade talks next year
-
Ex-FBI informant pleads guilty to lying about BidensSpeed Read Alexander Smirnov claimed that President Joe Biden and his son Hunter were involved in a bribery scheme with Ukrainian energy company Burisma
