UK Parliament Vote on Authorizing EU Withdrawal Not to Affect Brexit Process

The decision of the UK Supreme Court on the necessity of parliamentary approval before starting the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union will have no far-reaching effect on the Brexit process amid vast majority of the Parliament respect toward referendum results, Conservative member of the UK Parliament Sir Edward Leigh told Sputnik.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — On Tuesday, the UK Supreme Court ruled that an act of the Parliament was required for the United Kingdom to invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty to leave the European Union. Later that day, Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond stated that the UK government would follow through with the Brexit referendum result and would introduce a bill into the Parliament to satisfy the Supreme Court's decision.

"This decision will have no significant effect on the outcome of the UK’s leaving the European Union. There is a large parliamentary majority in favour of respecting the referendum result, and the Government has announced legislation to give that effect, in line with the court’s decision," Sir Edward said.

Sir Edward stressed that a 12-point Brexit plan announced by UK Prime Minister Theresa May on January 17, including leaving the EU Single market and Customs Union and focusing on bilateral trade agreements, would be implemented.

"As for trade agreements, they can’t come into force until we’ve left the EU but that’s no impediment to making sure the agreements have been negotiated and are ready to go when that day comes," Sir Edward added.

UK Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to publish legislation, which will trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty and start Brexit negotiations, later this week.

Brexit procedure of the UK withdrawal from the European Union is expected to start by the end of March following last June's referendum decision to leave the bloc.