House of Commons
3 April 2017
This Act gave the government the power to notify the European Union that the United Kingdom intends to withdraw from the EU under Article 50. It starts the Brexit process by triggering the withdrawal procedure, but it does not decide the terms of departure. Parliament’s role was simply to approve the notification itself.
The Act has received Royal Assent and is now law, providing the formal mechanism to trigger the UK's withdrawal from the EU under Article 50.
The bill secured large overall majorities in the Commons (e.g., Third Reading 494-122; Programme motion 331-102). Labour and other opposition parties largely supported the bill, while Conservative MPs were split and many voted against in some divisions.
Generated 21 February 2026
Based on 13 recorded votes • Sorted by % Aye