MPs vote to trigger Article 50 by 31 March 2017

[-:Undertaker:-]

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As Iain Duncan Smith MP said earlier, pretty historic as this is the first time the House of Commons has voted now to withdraw from the European Union.

The 51 SNP MPs voted against so hopefully if there's ever a new Scottish referendum bill the rest of the House will vote against it. Quid pro quo. 23 Labour voted against, 5 Liberal Democrats and 1 Conservative (Kenneth Clarke).

Not long now until we're heading for the exit. :D

Thoughts?

[FlyingJesus]

I thought they were planning on getting around the whole Article 50 nonsense by doing that whole retroactive thing going NAHHH NEVER HAPPENED but ok

[-:Undertaker:-]

I thought they were planning on getting around the whole Article 50 nonsense by doing that whole retroactive thing going NAHHH NEVER HAPPENED but ok

The proposed Great Repeal Act (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brexit#Great_Repeal_Bill) which would include the E (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Communities_Act_1972_(UK))uropean Communities Act 1972 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Communities_Act_1972_(UK))? It'll still have to happen. Article 50 is the way you terminate and tie up the treaties with the European Union (more the external part of our membership) whereas the EC Act 1972 is what makes our membership official in our own law (the internal part). From what I've read HM Government intends to run both processes parallel and Parliament/Whitehall should start drawing up a Repeal Bill from the next Queen's Speech this summer.

Great stuff from Rees-Mogg today in the Commons chamber if you're interested, he touches on the only question left which is going through the Supreme Court at the moment as to whether triggering Article 50 itself can be done with the Crown Perogative or requires an Act of Parliament. Probably the greatest Parliamentarian of our age, so 1800s. :P

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