Draft European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (Exit Day) (Amendment) Regulations 2019- Delay Withdrawal from 29 March to 12 April or 22 May — 27 Mar 2019 at 20:58

The majority of MPs voted to delay the date of the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union from 29 March 2019 to either the 12th of April 2019, or if the House of Commons has approved the negotiated withdrawal agreement by the 29th of March 2019, to the 22nd of May.

During the debate preceding the vote there was disagreement over if the regulations actually changed the date of withdrawal or not. Government minister Robin Walker MP stated^[1]:

• Owing to the agreement between the UK and the EU to extend article 50, the UK will remain a member state of the EU until at least 11 pm on 12 April as a matter of international law. If this instrument were not to pass, therefore, it would not change that fact, but it would lead to confusion across our statute book from 29 March.

Peter Bone MP stated^[2]:

• if we reject this SI tonight...we will have come out in domestic law and we will be in breach of an international treaty for about two weeks

The motion supported by a majority of MPs in this vote was:

• That the draft European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (Exit Day) (Amendment) Regulations 2019, which were laid before this House on 25 March, be approved.
• [1] Robin Walker MP (Worcester, Conservative), House of Commons, Official Record, 27 March 2019
• [2] Peter Bone MP, (Wellingborough, Conservative), House of Commons, Official Record, 27 March 2019
• [3] Explanatory memorandum to the draft European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (Exit Day) (Amendment) Regulations 2019, Legislation.gov.uk

Debate in Parliament |