Brexit: the United Kingdom's referendum, negotiation and withdrawal (2016–2020)

1. UK holds EU membership referendum

   Jun 23, 2016Labels: United Kingdom, Gibraltar, EU Referendum

   Voters in the United Kingdom and Gibraltar were asked whether the UK should remain in or leave the European Union, under the European Union Referendum Act 2015.

   • Electoral Commission
   • Wikipedia

2. Referendum result: Leave wins 51.9%

   Jun 24, 2016Labels: Leave campaign, Referendum result

   The official result recorded that 51.89% voted Leave and 48.11% voted Remain, setting the political mandate for the UK to withdraw from the EU.

   • Wikipedia
   • Electoral Commission

3. David Cameron announces his resignation

   Jun 24, 2016Labels: David Cameron, Conservative Party

   Prime Minister David Cameron announced he would resign following the referendum result, triggering a Conservative Party leadership transition.

   • TIME
   • Guardian

4. Theresa May becomes UK Prime Minister

   Jul 13, 2016Labels: Theresa May, Prime Minister

   Theresa May succeeded David Cameron as prime minister and took responsibility for delivering the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.

   • Britannica
   • Independent

5. UK Supreme Court rules on Article 50

   Jan 24, 2017Labels: UK Supreme, Miller case

   In Miller, the UK Supreme Court held that the government could not trigger Article 50 using prerogative powers alone; an Act of Parliament was required.

   • UK Supreme Court
   • Wikipedia

6. Article 50 authorization becomes law

   Mar 16, 2017Labels: European Union, Royal Assent

   The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Act 2017 received Royal Assent, giving the prime minister statutory authority to notify the EU of the UK’s intention to withdraw.

   • Legislation gov uk
   • Wikipedia

7. UK notifies the EU under Article 50

   Mar 29, 2017Labels: Article 50, European Council

   The European Council received Prime Minister Theresa May’s Article 50 letter, formally starting the EU withdrawal process and negotiation timeline.

   • European Commission
   • Bloomberg

8. European Council issues Article 50 guidelines

   Apr 29, 2017Labels: European Council, Article 50

   EU leaders adopted negotiation guidelines for the Brexit talks, setting the EU’s sequencing and priorities (including citizens’ rights, the financial settlement, and Ireland/Northern Ireland).

   • European Commission

9. Snap UK general election produces hung parliament

   Jun 8, 2017Labels: UK general, Hung Parliament

   The UK general election returned a hung parliament, with the governing Conservatives losing their overall majority—complicating domestic ratification politics for Brexit.

   • Wikipedia
   • TIME

10. UK publishes the Chequers plan

    Jul 12, 2018Labels: Chequers plan, May government

    The May government published its Brexit white paper (the “Chequers plan”), outlining the UK’s preferred framework for the future UK–EU relationship.

    • Wikipedia

11. Negotiators agree draft Withdrawal Agreement

    Nov 14, 2018Labels: Withdrawal Agreement, EU UK

    EU and UK negotiators reached agreement “at negotiators’ level” on a draft Withdrawal Agreement text, a major milestone toward a treaty for orderly withdrawal.

    • European Commission

12. Commons rejects May’s deal in first vote

    Jan 15, 2019Labels: House of, Meaningful Vote

    The House of Commons rejected the government’s Withdrawal Agreement in the first “meaningful vote,” delivering a decisive parliamentary defeat.

    • UK Parliament

13. Commons rejects May’s deal again

    Mar 12, 2019Labels: House of, Withdrawal Agreement

    The House of Commons voted down the Withdrawal Agreement for a second time, despite additional documents related to the Northern Ireland “backstop.”

    • UK Parliament

14. EU grants conditional Article 50 extension

    Mar 22, 2019Labels: European Council, Article 50

    The European Council adopted a decision extending the Article 50 period: to 22 May 2019 if the deal passed by 29 March, otherwise to 12 April 2019.

    • Consilium

15. Commons rejects Withdrawal Agreement a third time

    Mar 29, 2019Labels: House of, Withdrawal Agreement

    The House of Commons again rejected approval of the Withdrawal Agreement (separated from the Political Declaration), prolonging the impasse.

    • UK Parliament

16. EU agrees ‘flextension’ to 31 October 2019

    Apr 10, 2019Labels: EU27 leaders, Flextension

    EU27 leaders agreed (with the UK) to extend the Article 50 period until 31 October 2019 at the latest, allowing more time for UK political decisions and ratification.

    • Consilium
    • EP ThinkTank

17. UK enacts Withdrawal Agreement implementing law

    Jan 23, 2020Labels: Withdrawal Agreement, Royal Assent

    The European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 received Royal Assent, implementing the Withdrawal Agreement in UK law ahead of departure.

    • Wikipedia

18. Withdrawal Agreement is signed by EU and UK

    Jan 24, 2020Labels: Withdrawal Agreement, EU UK

    The revised Withdrawal Agreement was formally signed in Brussels (EU side) and London (UK side), enabling final ratification steps before exit.

    • Consilium

19. UK withdraws from the European Union

    Jan 31, 2020Labels: UK withdrawal, Exit day

    The UK ceased to be an EU member state at 23:00 GMT (midnight CET), and the Withdrawal Agreement entered into force, beginning the transition period.

    • Consilium

20. UK–EU transition period ends

    Dec 31, 2020Labels: Transition period, UK EU

    The transition period concluded at 23:00 GMT, ending the period in which EU rules broadly continued to apply to the UK while the future relationship took effect.

    • GOV UK
    • Institute for Gov