UK lawmakers back govt timetable to trigger EU divorce talks by end of March

Participants hold a British Union flag and an EU flag during a pro-EU referendum event at Parliament Square

British lawmakers voted by 461 to 89 on Wednesday to back the government’s plan to begin divorce talks with the European Union by the end of March.

The opposition Labour Party put forward a motion calling on the government to set out its plan for leaving the European Union before it triggers Article 50 of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty to begin the formal exit process.

The government accepted the motion, but in return asked that lawmakers respect the result of the referendum and support its Brexit timetable.