DW – January 23, 2020
The UK moved a step closer to its January 31 exit date from the European Union on Thursday when Queen Elizabeth II gave her formal assent to Brexit legislation ratified by British lawmakers the day prior.
Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons, Nigel Evans, declared the Withdrawal Agreement Act had received the royal approval, meaning there are no more significant obstacles prior to next week’s departure.
Two top EU officials in Brussels are expected to sign the separation treaty on Friday.
“At times it felt like we would never cross the Brexit finish line, but we’ve done it,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said after the bill passed in Parliament on Wednesday.
“Now we can put the rancor and division of the past three years behind us and focus on delivering a bright, exciting future,” he added.
Earlier that day, the lower house of Parliament, the House of Commons, overturned changes the upper house, the House of Lords, had made to the legislation, including a clause to ensure protections for child refugees after Brexit.
The Lords could have sought to reinstate the changes, but decided not to, allowing the legislation to clear its final parliamentary hurdle in the UK. There will be a consent vote in the EU parliament on January 29.