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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 14 March 2017

UK Parliament gives government power to begin EU exit

JILL LAWLESS its final hurdle in Parlia-
Associated Press ment’s upper chamber,
LONDON (AP) — Britain the House of Lords.
lurched closer to leav- The House of Commons ap-
ing the European Union proved the bill weeks ago,
Monday when Parliament but the 800-strong Lords
stopped resisting and gave fought to amend it, insert-
Prime Minister Theresa May ing a promise that EU citi-
the power to file for divorce zens living in the U.K. will
from the bloc. be allowed to remain after
But in a blow to May’s gov- Britain pulls out of the bloc.
ernment, the prospect of They also added a de-
Scotland’s exit from the mand that Parliament get
United Kingdom suddenly a “meaningful” vote on
appeared nearer, too. the final deal between
Scottish First Minister Nicola Britain and the remaining
Sturgeon called for a refer- 27 EU nations.
endum on independence Both amendments were
within two years to stop rejected Monday by the
Scotland being dragged Commons, where May’s
out of the EU against its will. Conservatives have a ma- British Prime Minister Theresa May leaves the Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey, in
In an announcement that jority. A handful of pro-EU London, Monday March 13, 2017.
took many London politi- Conservatives expressed (Ben Stansall/Pool Photo via AP)
cians by surprise, Sturgeon their unhappiness, then ab- without amendments. ment is not for turning.” deadline of March 31.
vowed that Scotland would stained from the vote. Labour peer Dianne Hay- Once the bill receives royal May was forced to seek
not be “taken down a path The bill returned to the ter, who proposed the assent — a formality that Parliament’s approval for
that we do not want to go Lords, in a process known amendment on EU citizens, should be accomplished the move after a Supreme
down without a choice.” as parliamentary ping said the Lords had done within hours — May will be Court ruling in January tor-
Sturgeon spoke in Edin- pong. Faced with the de- their best, but “our view has free to invoke Article 50 of pedoed her attempt to
burgh hours before the Eu- cision of the elected Com- been rejected in the elect- the EU’s key treaty, trigger- start the process of leaving
ropean Union (Notification mons, the Lords backed ed House of Commons, ing two years of exit negoti- the bloc without a parlia-
of Withdrawal) Bill passed down and approved it and it is clear the govern- ations, by her self-imposed mentary vote.q

Scotland seeks new independence referendum amid Brexit spat

JILL LAWLESS chance to leave the United Theresa May, who said a burgh as Britain’s Parlia- tails of Britain’s post-Brexit
GREGORY KATZ Kingdom because Scot- second referendum would ment was on the verge of deal with the EU would be
Associated Press land was being forced into be hugely disruptive and approving a Brexit bill that clear and Scottish voters
LONDON (AP) — Scotland’s a “hard Brexit” that it didn’t was not justified because will allow the U.K. to start would be able to make “an
leader delivered a shock support. Britons decided evidence shows most Scot- the formal withdrawal from informed choice.”
twist to Britain’s EU exit dra- in a June 23 referendum tish voters oppose a new the EU within days. May The British government must
ma on Monday, announc- to leave the EU, but Scots independence vote. plans to trigger the two- agree before a legally
ing that she will seek au- voted by 62 to 38 percent May accused Sturgeon’s year exit process by the binding referendum can
thority to hold a new inde- to remain. Scottish National Party of end of March. be held.
pendence referendum in Scotland must not be “tak- political “tunnel vision” Sturgeon said she would ask It didn’t say Monday
the next two years because en down a path that we do and called the referendum the Scottish Parliament next whether it would do so, but
Britain is dragging Scotland not want to go down with- “deeply regrettable.” week to start the process of said an independence bal-
out of the EU against its will. out a choice,” Sturgeon “It sets Scotland on a calling a referendum, to lot “would be divisive and
First Minister Nicola Stur- said. course for more uncertain- be held between the fall cause huge economic un-
geon said she would move The move drew a quick ty and division,” she said. of 2018 and the spring of certainty at the worst pos-
quickly to give voters a new rebuke from Prime Minister Sturgeon spoke in Edin- 2019. She said by then, de- sible time.”q