May, who was visiting Swansea on Monday, intended to visit Northern Ireland and Scotland before the formal notification was sent by letter on 29 March, Downing Street said.
Downing Street sources had repeatedly said May would take the action to start the Brexit process “by the end of March”.
Earlier rumours that the move would be made last week were quashed by sources close to the prime minister after Nicola Sturgeon declared her desire for a second Scotland independence referendum, leading to speculation that May did not wish to appear cavalier about the future of the union.
The Brexit secretary, David Davis, confirmed article 50 would be triggered next week, calling the process “the most important negotiation for this country in a generation”.
“The government is clear in its aims: a deal that works for every nation and region of the UK and indeed for all of Europe – a new, positive partnership between the UK and our friends and allies in the European Union.”
The prime minister’s spokesman said Barrow had a conversation with the officer of the European council president, Donald Tusk, earlier on Monday to give the EU notice of the date. “There will be a letter, [May] will notify President Tusk in writing, and the prime minister has already confirmed she will give a statement to parliament as well,” he said. “More details will be given in due course.” (via the Guardian)
Negotiations are expected to last two years.
Meanwhile in Scotland, first Minister Nicola Sturgeon insists on a independence referendum and is sure she will win.
Last week, Sturgeon invited EU nationals to make Scotland their home.
KTG, you must know the British love irony. In 1992 the Maastricht Treaty was signed by the Prime Minister, Mr John Major. What better date to signal our leaving of the EU, the birthday of the man who signed us up in the first place. And nobody thought Mrs May had a sense of humour.
I corrected this nonsense already. Where is my comment? The UK joined the EC in 1973. It has nothing at all to do with the Maastricht Treaty.
Would that be the EEC you are referring to? An Economic community, not a political one. The Maastricht Treaty (formally, the Treaty on European Union or TEU) undertaken to integrate Europe was signed on 7 February 1992 by the members of the European Community in Maastricht, Netherlands. (Cut and paste job from Wikipedia) Integrate is the key word Mr Xenos. I am wondering also, if I jumped off your ego and landed on your IQ, how badly would I be hurt?
The EU is nothing other than the renaming of the European Communities — consisting of the EEC Treaty, the Euratom Treaty, and the ECSC Treaty. They were merged in the Maastricht Treaty. It just goes to show that WP is completely unreliable. The UK joined in 1973 and that is all you need to know.
And no, getting important facts right has nothing to do with ego or IQ. The UK population just spent 6 months shouting loudly and stupidly about all of this stuff, then another six months after the referendum also shouting about it every hour of every day. Does it not seem odd that even after a year of discussing this, voters in the UK still have no clue about what the EU is and when the UK joined it?
Bye bye Britain.
Despite public statements that they regret Britain leaving the EU, both Germany and France are secretly rejoicing. Germany loses a counter weight and France will become important again (or at least they will think that).