U.K.’s House of Commons Set to Pass Bill Authorizing Brexit

Britain’s House of Commons is set to approve a bill authorizing the start of exit talks with the European Union — a major step on the road to Brexit.

The bill sailed through an earlier vote last week and is very likely to pass and move to the House of Lords, keeping the government’s March 31 timetable for triggering EU exit talks on track.

Wednesday’s vote comes after three days of debate in which pro-EU lawmakers tried but failed to pass amendments guaranteeing Parliament a bigger role in the divorce process.

But the government appeared to bow to opposition pressure, promising lawmakers a vote on an exit deal before it is finalized by the bloc.

The government wants to get the bill through both houses of Parliament by early March.