Article 50 vote to be held within two weeks
The Government is to attempt to push the Article 50 bill to trigger EU divorce proceedings through the Commons in two weeks.
Thursday 26 January 2017 12:16, UK
MPs will vote on triggering Brexit within two weeks, with a two-day debate scheduled for next week, it has been announced.
The Government will publish the European Union Notification of Withdrawal Bill, forced on ministers by defeat in the Supreme Court, later today.
It is down to be debated by MPs on Tuesday and Wednesday before a third day of debate and the vote in the House of Commons on 8 February.
Within hours of publication of the Government's bill on Article 50, pro-Remain MPs will begin tabling dozens of amendments which pro-Leave MPs claim are part of a plot to sabotage Brexit.
Theresa May has pledged she will meet her deadline of the end of March to formally notify the EU that the UK is to leave, setting negotiations in train.
But with Labour MPs badly split on how to respond to the Article 50 bill, Jeremy Corbyn and his shadow cabinet will meet to decide whether to order backbenchers to vote for the legislation.
After Mr Corbyn said last week he would "ask" his MPs to vote for the Government's bill, he immediately faced a revolt from inside the shadow cabinet and among his backbenchers.
It is estimated up to 60 Labour MPs - mostly representing constituencies that voted to remain in the EU - are threatening to defy Mr Corbyn and vote against the Article 50 process.
Shadow minister Tulip Siddiq, MP for Hampstead and Kilburn, said: "Three quarters of my constituents voted Remain and I will stand up for them.
"If it means stepping down from the front bench then that would be unfortunate - but it's something which I've considered."
Other shadow ministers including Dawn Butler, Catherine West and Clive Lewis - one of the Labour leader's closest allies in the shadow cabinet - have also indicated that they could oppose Article 50.
As a result, Mr Corbyn has suggested that he could allow a free vote, giving Labour MPs the freedom to oppose the bill, in the face of a rebellion among his frontbenchers.
A source close to the Labour leader has said he recognises the difficulties his MPs face with constituents who voted to stay in the European Union.
Up to now, Mr Corbyn has repeatedly stopped short of saying that he is prepared to force them to do so by imposing a three-line whip. Shadow ministers would have to resign if they defied the whip.
A source close to Mr Corbyn said: "Jeremy will be asking Labour MPs to ensure that the triggering of Article 50 takes place.
"Whipping arrangements are always settled nearer the time and will depend on the amendments and depend on the bill that is brought forwards and what contents it has."
Labour is preparing to table at least four amendments to the Government's Article 50 legislation, including one which would require the Government to go back to Brussels if MPs vote against a final deal.
Sir Keir Starmer MP told Sky News: "We want to put down an amendment dealing with a vote on the final deal.
"The Prime Minister has said there will be a vote on the final deal. It's very important that's a meaningful vote."
He wants Mr Davis to publish reports on the Brexit process to Parliament every two months.
In addition, the Scottish National Party has said it plans to table 50 amendments to the bill, some of which may be backed by Labour during the debates which will now dominate parliamentary business for two months.
The bill is about triggering Article 50. Meanwhile, Mrs May has bowed to pressure from MPs to produce a Brexit white paper outlining how she plans to negotiate.
However, the Brexit Secretary David Davis faced down questions from MPs on Thursday on what it will contain and when it will be published.
Downing Street would only say the white paper would be published "in due course" and insisted it will be entirely separate from the Article 50 process and legislation.