Members of the UK parliament have voted in favour of allowing the introduction of a bill that would let the government begin Brexit negotiations
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Britain’s push to leave the European Union has cleared its first legislative hurdle.
Members of the UK parliament have voted in favour of allowing the introduction of a bill that would let the government begin Brexit negotiations.
Breaking News: Theresa May has won a historic House of Commons mandate to officially start Brexit https://t.co/aDapEFjqtN
— Financial Times (@FT) February 1, 2017
MPs voted by 498 to 114 in favour of the bill proceeding to the next legislative stage.
One MP was heard yelling out “suicide” when the result was announced.
The result paves the way for the government to launch divorce proceedings with the EU by the end of March.
MPs vote in favour of the Government's #Brexit bill. Here's the moment the result was announced
SkyNews</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SNT?src=hash">#SNT</a> <a href="https://t.co/2WdzKYkeOm">https://t.co/2WdzKYkeOm</a></p>— Sky News Tonight (SkyNewsTonight) February 1, 2017
The leader of Britain’s opposition Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, backed the bill, but 47 of his MPs rebelled and voted against it.
Earlier the MPs rejected an attempt by pro-EU Scottish nationalists to throw out the bill.
A majority of voters in Scotland and Northern Ireland voted to stay in the EU in last year’s referendum on the issue.
After Article 50 of the European Union’s Lisbon Treaty is triggered by Britain there would be two years of negotiations before Brexit takes effect.
#Brexit: Scotland opposed, but Westminster is imposing it.
✍️ Scotland’s voice must be heard. Pledge your support. https://t.co/UwtQPDtCY8 pic.twitter.com/wPUKMHxFdU
— The SNP (@theSNP) February 1, 2017
Britain’s Brexit divide was not a one-off: the politics of cosmopolitan places and nativist ones remain distinct https://t.co/wLwUG5J1Ak pic.twitter.com/ZjkoqBDF0m
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) February 1, 2017
11 hours of debate show why Theresa May was so reluctant to let MPs vote on Article 50 https://t.co/PTx3gEl2jV pic.twitter.com/CxUC9clKLk
— Bloomberg Brexit (@Brexit) February 1, 2017