LONDON: Queen Elizabeth II gave royal assent on Thursday to a bill empowering British Prime Minister Theresa May to trigger Article 50 of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty and begin the process of leaving the European Union. The House of Commons speaker John Bercow announced the final go-ahead in the parliamentary chamber, prompting cheers from ruling Conservative Party MPs. “We look forward to beginning negotiations when we trigger Article 50 by the end of March,” he said. May has said she will address the British parliament to inform lawmakers that she has triggered Article 50, and an initial response is expected from the European Commission within 48 hours. During the EU referendum campaign, Buckingham Palace denied a report in The Sun tabloid that the queen was a supporter of Brexit.

Source: Manila Times March 16, 2017 11:37 UTC