Queen gives Royal Assent to Brexit Bill – Article 50 to be triggered

Earlier this morning, The Queen signed the ‘Brexit Bill’, meaning formal negotiations to allow the UK to leave the EU can begin.

The Queen reopens the National Army Museum after signing the historic Brexit Bill. (Picture by Pete Maclaine / i-Images)

The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill received The Queen’s signature after being passed in the House of Commons on Monday. This means the Prime Minister can formally begin talks with the EU to withdraw from the partnership following the referendum last June.

Theresa May has promised to trigger Article 50, which signifies intention to leave the union, by the end of March.

The Queen was all smiles after the historic moment, as she visited the National Army Museum to reopen the facility with Prince Philip and The Duke of Kent this morning.

David Davis, the ‘Brexit’ Secretary said in the Commons today: “The Queen has today given Royal Assent to the Article 50 Bill, giving the Government the formal power to trigger Article 50 and deliver on the will of the British people.

“By the end of the month we will invoke Article 50, allowing us to start our negotiations to build a positive new partnership with our friends and neighbours in the European Union, as well as taking a step out into the world as a truly Global Britain.”

This means Her Majesty has presided over perhaps the most historic moment of her long reign.

UK and EU members will likely begin talks to secure the conditions of leaving, plus a free trade deal. It is expected the EU will insist on a €60bn fee to leave, but the Government will reject this.

A formal response to the triggering of Article 50 must be issued by the EU and then will need around eight weeks to draw up the full guidelines.

Davis was forced to admit his department has not made an assessment of the economic implications of failure to secure an agreement with the rest of the EU, while the PM said no deal is better than a bad deal.

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