Bill To Begin Brexit Process Introduced At UK Parliament

A bill seeking authorization to start the formal Brexit process was introduced to the UK parliament due to the demands from several MPs to see a more detailed plan before voting on it. The 133-word bill was introduced by Brexit Secretary David Davis, calling for members of the parliament to "confer power on the Prime Minister to notify ... the United Kingdom's intention to withdraw from the EU," according to CNN.

The bill follows the Supreme Court ruling on Tuesday that Prime Minister Theresa May must first gain the consent of MPs and peers before beginning EU divorce negotiations. Since the referendum is of great political significance, May can't simply use executive powers known as "royal prerogative" thus it must be made in the only way permitted by the UK Constitution and that is through an Act of Parliament.  May's government had planned to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty through which Brexit officially was begun.

According to the Department for Exiting the European Union, the bill is expected to move through both the House of Commons and House of Lords before the March 31 deadline.  Davis stated that the British people have made the decision to leave EU, therefore, the government is determined to get on with the job of delivering it. Last Wednesday, May announced that her government would produce a White Paper setting forth the details of its Brexit plan after pressure from MPs that the public was kept in the dark on the process.

Davis refused to give a timeline for the White Paper but claimed that they will try to be as expeditious as they can. The bill will go through several readings and round of debates. Although the ruling seeking for parliament approval to begin the Brexit process is not expected to slow down May's plan, as she set on triggering Article 50 by the end of March, it will provide an avenue for opposition parties to amend the legislation. Some have expressed to vote against it arguing that their constituents did not vote to leave the union.