Brexit strategy to be revealed by government

The UK government's strategy for Brexit -- Britain's exit from the European Union (EU) -- will face scrutiny from politicians and the public for the first time when a white paper is published later on Thursday.

The paper, which comes after MPs voted to allow Prime Minister Theresa May to begin the Brexit process, will outline Downing Street's negotiating aims for triggering Article 50, the formal process of leaving the EU, the BBC reported.

Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty sets out the process of leaving the EU. The treaty itself came into force on December 1, 2009, after eight years of the EU's efforts to make the organisation "more democratic, more transparent and more efficient".

MPs backed the EU Bill by 498 votes to 114 on Wednesday night, with 47 Labour rebels voting against.

The bill will now face more debate before it can become law.

The MPs will discuss the bill in more detail next week when it reaches the committee stage in the Commons, and Labour has vowed to force through amendments.

Hundreds of amendments have already been tabled for a debate next week, with objectives set out in the government's strategy expected to attract more.

May has set a March 31 deadline for invoking Article 50y.

Talks with the EU are expected to last up to two years, with the UK predicted to leave the 28-member organisation in 2019.

--IANS

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