British lawmakers to give green light for Brexit negotiations

British lawmakers are set to give Prime Minister Theresa May the green light to launch negotiations on leaving the European Union later on Wednesday.

The House of Commons, parliament’s lower house, is scheduled to hold its final vote on May’s plan to trigger formal Brexit negotiations by the end of March.

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Opposition lawmakers had lost a vote on Tuesday to amend May’s bill to invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which sets the rules for a two-year negotiating process for a nation leaving the EU.

The Conservative government saw off a potential rebellion by promising parliament a “meaningful” vote on the final Brexit deal before it goes to the European Parliament.

However, it warned the vote would be a “take it or leave it” decision, meaning Britain would leave the EU with no deal in place if lawmakers vote against it.

May commands a working majority of 16 in the 650-seat parliament.

She is likely to win Wednesday’s vote comfortably, with no more than a handful of lawmakers from her party expected to oppose the bill.

Labour, the biggest opposition party, has ordered its 229 lawmakers to support the bill, and most of them are expected to do so.

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