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Things that are NOT legally binding:-
A) 2016 Brexit referendum
B) Vote to take no deal off the table
C) Vote to extend Article 50
Legally binding things:-
D) Article 50
E) Losing all our international treaties, arrangements & trade deals
F) No deal by default on 29 March
A) 2016 Brexit referendum
B) Vote to take no deal off the table
C) Vote to extend Article 50
Legally binding things:-
D) Article 50
E) Losing all our international treaties, arrangements & trade deals
F) No deal by default on 29 March
Bear the above in mind when you're reading news stories, because most gloss over the fact that the things MPs decided last week are only politically binding (i.e. it "looks bad" if Theresa May doesn't do them) but not legally binding (i.e. TM is not obliged to do them)
Meanwhile, all the really bad stuff IS legally binding. We can't change E) no matter what Brexit deal we come up with, though if we get a transition period, that will mask most of the effects of the loss for a while. And of course we can negotiate new treaties etc. eventually.
We can change F) but only if we manage to get a deal passed, extend Article 50 to push the problem into the future (merely delays it, but doesn't solve it) or revoke Article 50 and stay in the EU on the same terms of membership we have now (including our vetoes and opt-outs).
