The Parliament of United Kingdom backed the plan to immediately initiate U.K. separation from the European Union in a surprising majority vote. The government will reveal its detailed Brexit Plan.
Brexit plan passes the first hurdle with an overwhelming victory of 498 - 114 votes according to Daily Telegraph on Wednesday night Feb. 1. Approval from parliament members gives government legitimacy to begin negotiation process to leave the European Union. For the next step, the Brexit Bill will be scrutinized in both House of Commons and House of Lords for the second round of approval to become the law.
Labour made three-line whip to support the government. Prior to the vote, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn urged the party's member to vote for the Bill. However, 47 MPs from Labor opposed him along with SNP, Plaid Cymru, Liberal Democrats and one Tory's ex-chancellor Ken Clarke as reported by BBC.
Prior to the vote, Prime Minister Theresa May reminded the parliament members that voting against Article 50 is an abuse of people's trust. It is because 51.9 percent of Britons have voted to leave the European Union in the last June 23, 2016. Therefore, Brexit is the people's mandate for the government.
Following the victory, U.K. Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson called it the momentous one for the Brexit. As it gives Prime Minister May a right to begin the Article 50 of Lisbon Treaty to leave the European Union. This victory has cleared the first path for Prime Minister May to trigger her Brexit plan.
"I've just voted three times in the House of Commons for an absolutely momentous thing," Secretary Johnson said in an amazement. "Don't forget we may be leaving the EU treaties but we are not leaving Europe."
The government will soon reveal detailed plan to exit the EU after the result. Watch the report from USA Today regarding the first voting round of Brexit below:
