BYE-BYE – AT 10:18 A.M. ET:   On this historic day, Britain has taken the first formal steps to separate from the European Union.  Rule Britannia!  From Daily Mail: 

Theresa May vowed to restore Britain's 'self-determination' as our historic EU divorce letter was finally delivered to Brussels today - including a stark warning that trying to punish the UK would be a 'costly mistake'.

As Tory MPs roared her to the rafters in the Commons, the Prime Minister confirmed her envoy Sir Tim Barrow had handed the formal notification to European Council president Donald Tusk in the Belgian capital.

She gave an upbeat assessment of the country's 'bright future' once it regains control after 44 years ties to the EU, while stressing she wanted to forge a 'deep and special special' bond with our old partners.

But the letter also included stark threats about the 'fragile' condition of the bloc, making clear that efforts to give Britain a bad deal would be seriously damaging for the bloc's own prosperity and security.

The point of no return was reached at 12.20pm today UK time, as the handover between Sir Tim and Mr Tusk happened at his HQ in the Belgian capital.

Mrs May was greeted with cheers by MPs as she arrived in the Commons chamber for her regular PMQs session. Meanwhile, outside parliament Europhile protesters were still vainly demanding a rethink.

COMMENT:  Theresa May is becoming another Margaret Thatcher.  She's terrific, and a stand-up woman.  The British decision to leave the EU, made in an open referendum by voters, is correct.  The EU is an arrogant, creaky, and unrepresentative institution.

Now the fun begins.

March 29,  2017