Theresa May hails 'historic moment' as EU Withdrawal Bill officially becomes law
2 min read
Theresa May has hailed a “major building block” for Brexit as the Government’s flagship EU Withdrawal Bill finally became law.
The European Union Withdrawal Act - originally dubbed the Great Repeal Bill - rescinds the European Communities Act and seeks to bring all existing EU laws onto the British statute book when the UK leaves the bloc.
After almost a year of highly-charged back-and-forth between the House of Commons and the Lords, the bill has now received royal assent from the Queen - drawing cheers from MPs as Speaker John Bercow made the announcement.
"I have to notify the House in accordance with the Royal Assent Act 1967 that her majesty his signified her Royal Assent to the following acts: Nuclear Safeguard Act 2018; European Union Withdrawal Act 2018," he said.
A Downing Street spokesperson meanwhile revealed that Mrs May had opened this morning’s Cabinet session by marking what she called “a historic moment for our country and a significant step towards delivering on the will of the British people”.
She described the legislation as "a major building block for the UK's bright future outside of the European Union".
The passing of the European Withdrawal Act comes after the bill vaulted over its final hurdles in the Commons and the Lords, where parliamentarians had demanded a greater role in scrutinising the Government's final deal with Brussels.
But a potential rebellion by Conservative MPs was seen off after the Government promised to allow the Speaker to rule on whether the Commons would get a so-called "meaningful vote" in the event of no deal with the EU.
Meanwhile, there was laughter in the Lords last week as clerks recounted the Bill's tricky journey between the two Houses.
A Lords official told peers that the Commons had agreed "to the amendments made by the Lords to their amendment made in lieu of an amendment made by the Lords to which they disagreed.
"And they agreed to the amendments made by the Lords to their amendments made in lieu of the amendment made by the Lords to which they disagree with amendments to which they desire the agreement of your Lordships."
The passing of the Withdrawal Bill does not mark the end of the Government's battles over Brexit legislation, however, with highly-significant bills on future trade and customs ties with the EU still to return to the Commons.
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