TheCable

Theresa May, United Kingdom prime minister, says Britain will commence the formal process of leaving the European Union (EU) in the first quarter of next year.

According to the BBC, May said this on Sunday, explaining that the country would be free to make its own decisions without depending on the EU for approvals.

She said the British government would trigger article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty early next year, to set in motion, departure from the EU.

“We are going to be a fully independent, sovereign country – a country that is no longer part of a political union with supranational institutions that can override national parliaments and courts,” she prime minister said while addressing the Tory Party Conference.

“And that means we are going, once more, to have the freedom to make our own decisions on a whole host of different matters, from how we label our food to the way in which we choose to control immigration.

“A truly global Britain is possible, and it is in sight. We don’t need – as I sometimes hear people say – to ‘punch above our weight’ because our weight is substantial enough already.”

Shortly before addressing the conference she was quoted to have said: “I will be saying in my speech today that we will trigger (Article 50) before the end of March next year.”