Brexit Bill gets Commons approval: What happens next?

  • Brexit
What is the next stage for Government's Brexit Bill? Credit: PA

After two days of intense debate and party divisions parliament has given the go ahead to the Government's Brexit Bill , meaning Prime Minister Theresa May now has permission to trigger Article 50 and start formal Brexit talks.

But what does the Bill winning the support of parliament mean, and what happens next?

What does the the outcome of the vote mean?

By voting in favour of the Government's Brexit Bill on Wednesday evening MPs have paved the way for Prime Minister Theresa May to begin the formal Brexit process.

This process is expected to involve two-years of negotiations over Britain's future relationship which will begin with the triggering of Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.

MPs voted to give the go ahead to the Government's Brexit Bill on Wednesday Credit: PA

What happens next?

Now the Bill has been given the go ahead by MPs it will enter the committee stage where it will be discussed and scrutinised from Monday to Wednesday next week.

In the committee stage political parties will be given the chance to put their proposed amendments forward to be voted upon.

What amendments are likely to be proposed?

Labour are expected to try to add safeguards to the Bill next week and may include moves to ensure MPs have the first vote on any proposed exit deal and an attempt to guarantee legal rights for EU nationals already living in the UK.

The Liberal Democrats are also likely to suggest changes and these could include requesting a second referendum on the final deal achieved by Theresa May.

What happens after the committee stage?

After the Bill completes the committee stage there will be a third reading of it in the Commons.

The Bill's final Commons stage is expected to take place on Wednesday February 8 and will give MPs a final chance to say whether they approve of the Bill before it passes to the House of Lords.

What is the House of Lords stage?

Once the Bill enters the Commons stage it will be heard by the upper chamber during its introduction on February 20.

Labour in the Lords has already said it will examine but not block the Government's Brexit plans but some peers in the HOL are likely to make their opposition known.

The Bill is then expected to complete its passage through the Lords by Tuesday March 7 unless it has to return to the Commons to discuss any peer recommended amendments.