- The flagship EU Withdrawal Bill has been formally signed into law by the Queen
- Key moment for Brexit after hundreds of hours of wrangling in Parliament
- Theresa May won crucial battle last week by seeing off Tory rebel amendment
Brexit came a step closer today as the Queen formally signed the flagship EU Withdrawal Bill into law.
To cheers in the Commons, Speaker John Bercow announced that the crucial legislation has received Royal Assent.
The formalising of the Act finally draws a line under hundreds of hours of wrangling among MPs and peers over the process for cutting ties with Brussels.
To cheers in the Commons, Speaker John Bercow announced today that the crucial legislation has received Royal Assent
The news announced to the Commons today finally draws a line under hundreds of hours of wrangling about the Brexit process
The Act paves the way for the repealling of the 1972 European Communities Act, which underpins Eu membership.
It also gives ministers unprecedented executive powers to alter domestic legislation to avoid upheaval during Brexit.
However, MPs insisted on safeguards including a ‘triage’ system that will enable them to stop changes that are considered unnecessary.
Mrs May told Cabinet this morning that the legislation coming into force was an ‘historic moment for our country and a significant step towards delivering on the will of the British people’.
‘The PM thanked David Davis Julian Smith and Baroness Evans for all their hard work in delivering legislation which is a major building block for the UK’s bright future outside of the European Union,’ Mrs May’s spokesman said.
The key battle on the Bill came last week when Theresa May saw off rebels who had been demanding Parliament be given control if negotiations with the EU collapse.
Mrs May had already made concessions including pledging a Commons vote on any outcome of talks with Brussels.
The key battle on the Bill came last week when Theresa May (pictured with EU council president Donald Tusk in Downing Street last night) saw off rebels who had been demanding Parliament be given control if negotiations collapse
Last week the Government won 319 to 303 to defeat a potentially explosive amendment that would have allowed the Commons to overrule the PM on a no deal Brexit
The breakthrough came after rebel ringleader Dominic Grieve (pictured in the Commons last week) effectively caved in following hours of frantic negotiations with ministers
And a threatened Tory rebellion dramatically collapsed when ringleader Dominic Grieve announced he would be voting against his own ‘meaningful vote’ amendment.
His decision infuriated Labour, which had wheeled in sick MPs in the hope of inflicting a defeat on the government.
It also split Mr Grieve’s gang of diehard Tory Remainers, allowing the Prime Minister to win the vital vote by 319 to 303.
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