✓ Passed into LawLords
UK Parliament · Bill
European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017
Summary
This Act allowed the UK government to formally notify the European Union that Britain was leaving. It gave legal permission for the Prime Minister to trigger Article 50 (the official exit process), which started the Brexit process in March 2017.
A vote to support means
- —Supporting this Act means backing the UK's decision to formally leave the European Union. Supporters believed it gave Parliament the power to trigger Brexit and honour the 2016 referendum result, allowing the UK to take back control of its own laws and borders.
A vote to oppose means
- —Critics worried the Act gave too much power to the government without enough parliamentary oversight. Some felt it rushed the decision without properly planning what leaving the EU would mean for jobs, the economy, and people's rights.
Cast Your Vote
People's Vote4 votes
25% Support · 175% Oppose · 3
Parliament's Vote616 MPs
80% Ayes · 49420% Noes · 122
Democratic Gap
55% — Large gap
Outcome mismatch — the public would block this bill, but Parliament passed it
Bill Passage
Commons
- 1st reading26 Jan 2017
- 2nd reading31 Jan 2017
- Committee stage6 Feb 2017
- Report stage8 Feb 2017
- 3rd reading8 Feb 2017
Lords
- 1st reading8 Feb 2017
- 2nd reading20 Feb 2017
- Committee stage27 Feb 2017
- Report stage7 Mar 2017
- 3rd reading7 Mar 2017
Royal Assent16 Mar 2017
Full Bill Description(click to expand)
No description available