Britain is one big step closer to Brexit
The U.K. House of Commons on Friday voted 358 to 234 in favor of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Brexit bill. This major step toward Britain's departure from the European Union, planned for the end of January 2020, comes just a week after Johnson's Conservative Party dramatically swept the general elections.
"We now have a deal that reflects both the single largest democratic exercise in British history in the referendum and the defining issue of the general election," said Brexit Secretary Steve Barclay. "It is time to end the delay, to come together and heal our divisions and above all listen to the people we serve."
Six Labour Party members broke ranks to vote in favor of the bill, but while Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn agreed it is time to "move on" from debating the referendum, he opposed the measure. Critics to Johnson's left have accused him of perpetrating an "executive power-grab" by changing the bill to assign negotiation powers previously held by Parliament to government ministers, among other revisions.
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.
The Brexit bill will undergo further consideration in the House of Commons in early January before proceeding to the House of Lords. Read a breakdown from The Guardian of the next steps in the process here, and see analysis from The Week's William Gritten on likely Brexit implications of Johnson's recent triumph.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Bonnie Kristian was a deputy editor and acting editor-in-chief of TheWeek.com. She is a columnist at Christianity Today and author of Untrustworthy: The Knowledge Crisis Breaking Our Brains, Polluting Our Politics, and Corrupting Christian Community (forthcoming 2022) and A Flexible Faith: Rethinking What It Means to Follow Jesus Today (2018). Her writing has also appeared at Time Magazine, CNN, USA Today, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, and The American Conservative, among other outlets.
-
'Virtual prisons': how tech could let offenders serve time at home
Under The Radar New technology offers opportunities to address the jails crisis but does it 'miss the point'?
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
The Week contest: Airport goodbyes
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published
-
'We shouldn't be surprised that crypto is back'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
'Empowered' Steve Bannon released from prison
Speed Read Bannon was set free a week before Election Day and quickly returned to his right-wing podcast to promote Trump
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Canada accuses top Modi ally of directing Sikh attacks
Speed Read Indian Home Minister Amit Shah was allegedly behind a campaign of violence and intimidation targeting Sikh separatists
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Harris makes closing case in huge rally at DC's Ellipse
Speed Read The Democratic nominee asked voters to "turn the page" on Trump's "division" and "chaos"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'I am not a Nazi,' Trump says amid MSG rally fallout
Speed Read Trump and his campaign are attempting to stem the fallout from comments made by speakers at Sunday's rally
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Ballot drop boxes set on fire in Oregon, Washington
Speed Read Hundreds of submitted ballots were destroyed in Vancouver, Washington
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel votes to ban UN agency for Palestinians
Speed Read UNRWA provides food, medical care and other humanitarian assistance to Palestine
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Elon Musk is in regular contact with Putin, WSJ says
Speed Read The Tesla founder has been increasingly involved in Donald Trump's presidential campaign
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published