Brexit Bill given Royal Assent by the Queen
By Samuel, Politics and Education Staff Writer
The Queen has given the bill to activate Article 50, ‘Brexit Bill’. Theresa May can now start talks about leaving the European Union with other EU member states.
The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill was passed through the House of Commons and House of Lords earlier this week and was given to the Queen (Head of State). Earlier today (March 16th 2017), the Queen gave the Bill Royal Assent.
This bill allows the prime minister to notify Brussels that the UK is leaving the European Union, with a two year process of exit negotiations to follow.
Mrs May says she will trigger the process by the end of the month. It is very unlikely to be activated next week due to an informal summit of EU countries. This summit will mark the 60th anniversary of the Treaties of Rome, which established the European Economic Community, and in turn became the European Union.
The prime minister may have got the Bill through parliament, but Mrs May now has a problem in the UK. The First Minister has called for a referendum before the end of the Brexit talks.