The lower house took the decisive step before Christmas leave and this formal decision means that the legislative brief can be passed on to the lords in the upper house - and that the entire Brexit process is on the way to an exit on January last.

The decision was preceded by a two-day debate in which the opposition made some attempts to bring about minor changes, but this went to a halt as there were not enough members in place.

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After years of parliamentary and bureaucratic twists and turns, the fact that Brexit has been cleared in the House of Commons has received relatively little attention in British media. There, the news is challenged by the news that Prince Harry and his wife Meghan are taking a step back.

In the next step, the upper house should give its views on the Brexit legislation, after which it can be handed over to the Queen for a final signature. This is followed by an eleven month transition period during which the British Government and the EU will agree on the future relationship.