British lawmakers get limited time to eye bill on Brexit

LONDON -- As British lawmakers cried out, "Disgraceful!" the Conservative government Thursday introduced the long-awaited bill to start the country's exit from the European Union and gave the House of Commons less than two weeks to consider it.

David Davis, the Cabinet secretary in charge of Brexit, unveiled the legislation just two days after a Supreme Court ruling that torpedoed the government's effort to avoid a parliamentary vote on starting the process of leaving the 28-nation bloc.

The Commons will begin debate on the bill Jan. 31, and it is set to go to the House of Lords on Feb. 8.

Prime Minister Theresa May is rushing to meet a self-imposed deadline of March 31 for triggering Article 50 of the EU treaty, which will launch two years of talks on Britain's future relationship with the bloc after more than 40 years of membership. Voters approved the exit in a June 23 referendum.

"I trust that Parliament, which backed the referendum by six to one, will respect the decision taken by the British people and pass the legislation quickly," Davis said.

The text of the measure was brief. It stated the prime minister "may notify, under Article 50 (2) of the Treaty on European Union, the United Kingdom's intention to withdraw from the EU."

Some lawmakers, mindful the government had fought for months to keep them from scrutinizing the measure, were furious they would get such a short time to consider what may be the most influential government move in generations.

One pro-EU lawmaker, Chris Leslie, said the House was getting far less time "to debate the legislation that takes us out of the EU than we did previous European treaties."

"This is the most significant law we've ever debated on our relationship with Europe, and yet the government will only give it an eighth of the time that was spent on the Maastricht Treaty," he said.