Prime Minister Theresa May has signed the letter that will formally begin the UK’s departure from the European Union. Triggering Article 50 on Brexit is not welcome by everyone in UK. Please, take the poll for Brexit and EU.
Giving official notice under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, it will be delivered to European Council president Donald Tusk later today.
May’s letter will be delivered at 12:20 BST on Wednesday by the British ambassador to the EU, Sir Tim Barrow.
Donald Tusk has promised to reply within 48 hours and a summit of the 27 other EU leaders has been scheduled for 29 April.
The top politicians will decide on the guidelines EU Commission negotiator Michel Barnier and his task force are given for the two-year-long talks.
In a statement in the Commons, the prime minister will then tell MPs this marks “the moment for the country to come together”.
It follows June’s referendum which resulted in a vote to leave the EU.
Mrs May’s letter will be delivered at 12:20 BST on Wednesday by the British ambassador to the EU, Sir Tim Barrow.
The prime minister, who chaired an hour long cabinet meeting earlier, is set to make a statement to MPs confirming the countdown to the UK’s departure from the EU is under way.
She will promise to “represent every person in the whole United Kingdom” during the negotiations – including EU nationals, whose status after Brexit has yet to be settled.
“It is my fierce determination to get the right deal for every single person in this country,” she will say.
“For, as we face the opportunities ahead of us on this momentous journey, our shared values, interests and ambitions can – and must – bring us together.”
May has revealed that she will not seek to maintain the UK’s full access of the EU’s single-market and seek to barter a “unique” customs relationship with bloc, which will allow Britain to make its own free trade agreements – something that the UK, as a member of the EU, is not currently able to do.
As Article 50 is triggered, international media reveal that the UK is talking to 15 countries about a post-Brexit trade deal.
Negotiations are expected to take two years. During this time, UK has the right to revoke its Brexit decision.
On the day that Article 50 is triggered, please RT to show support for our amazing staff from the EU and the rest of the world #brexitday pic.twitter.com/ZXlSmCqfGG
— NHS Million (@NHSMillion) March 29, 2017
While millions of Britons are enthusiastic about the Brexit, others feels desperate.
What do you think? I have two polls: the first is for UK nationals and Expats, the second one for non-UK nationals. Polls number 3 and 4 are for eveyrone.
1. Poll for UK Nationals and Expats
Loading ...2. Poll non-UK Nationals
Loading ...3. Poll for everyone: Greece
Loading ...4. Poll for everyone: EU
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There can be no doubt that the UK referendum polarised the nation. Overnight anyone who wanted to leave the EU was a racist and anyone who wanted to remain seemed to have a very firm grasp on the economy – even if they couldn’t balance their own bank account.
But for me it came down to a couple of things. The old EEC being a trading bloc was OK, cutting through the red tape was a good idea, although protectionism was probably a key part of it all – then it became politicised which will always be good for some and bad for others. It was never supposed to be bad for anybody.
I no longer wanted to be part of a “Club” that treated one of it’s members so badly. The Greeks in part have themselves to blame in some way, it would be naive to think otherwise – but they could have been helped more than they have been. I travel to Greece once or twice each year and every year it seems to be getting worse with no clear end in sight.
Surely every country within the EU was meant to prosper, but in reality the difference between the richest country and the poorest country is too wide. As a political project, it was doomed to failure. There was always only going to be one master in central Europe and the rest would be subservient. There have been wars fought to prevent this from happening.
I am a proud Englishman but my decision to vote leave was made mainly because of the way the Greeks have been treated. See you again in May.
So, Chriss, having seen how badly the Greeks were treated, you thought it a good idea for the UK to abandon its position of power within the EU bloc and put itself in the same sort of position as Greece? Full marks for solidarity with Greece: nul points for intelligent decision making. Do you really think that Brits living in Greece will be given Greek citizenship or even the sort of legal rights that we have had under EU law. It’s not going to happen.
Ah, Mr Xenos, here you are again. Once more you write with certain knowledge of the outcome of everything. Why have the Brits, or indeed any foreign national who have settled in Greece not already applied for either full Greek citizenship or dual nationality? It’s the least anyone can do when moving to another country to live – shows the intent to stay and become integrated. If not, well you take your chances.
A position of power within the bloc is one thing, the certainty that this power will diminish with further EU integration is another.
That your view of the UK becoming on par with Greece is daft – we have our own currency and have a little more to trade with – therefore a little more bargaining power.
My decision to vote leave was heavily based on the Greek situation, no argument with that. That I should look further than my own position says something about me and that you appear only to be looking out for your own interests says something about you.
No EU citizen who is residing legally in any country within the bloc will be forced to move. Give up your original citizenship Xenos, show some heart and solidarity – or keep it for use as a parachute whenever you may need it.
@Chriss. If you think that getting Greek citizenship is something easy — like getting British citizenship — then it shows you have no knowledge of the situation in Greece. It is more or less impossible for most Brits in Greece to apply for citizenship, unless they are married to a Greek and speak/write native level Greek. And your claim that nobody residing legally in an EU country will be forced to move is just ridiculous nonsense. Already, legal EU residents in the UK have been threatened in writing with deportation. Legality is not such a tangible thing, when the law is complex and poorly implemented. This is much more true in Greece than in the UK, where many people are uncertain of their legal status unless they have formal residence permits. Most Brits in Greece do not have EU residence permits.
Moreover, I did not vote against Brexit on personal grounds: I oppose it because it is a crazy idea perpetrated by the extreme right of the Tory party and the far right UKIP party. The cost to the UK in political, economic and social terms will be horrendous. There is no potential gain at all. This is a policy for idiots – as indicated by the profile of typical Brexit supporters.
The situation in Greese vs nations leaving EU has very little to do with one another. GB is not a member of the EUro and nor is eg. Denmark. Its the free immigration of labour combined with access to civil rights and the fact that the laybour units has no say that matters in combination with the fact that smaller countryes have to give up their local suprimacy in non EU matters – thats why it was a “no” and thats why its gonna be a “no” for other countryes as well. Actually it has very little to do with the fact that Greece and other southen EU contryes has sucked the well dry finacially and other wice – but giving up national supremicy is a no go