Brexit showdown in Commons as court challenge continues
As the Supreme Court battle goes on, the Government will face calls for a firm pledge that it will reveal its exit plan.
Wednesday 7 December 2016 10:29, UK
Day three of the Government's Brexit battle in the Supreme Court is set to coincide with Theresa May ducking a showdown with up to 40 of her own MPs in the Commons.
The Government hopes it has seen off a Tory revolt and potential defeat by accepting a Labour motion calling on ministers to disclose their Brexit plan before starting the EU divorce process.
But the Brexit Secretary, David Davis, who will respond to Labour's demands in the debate for the Government, will face calls from MPs for a firm pledge that the Government will reveal its plan.
Leading pro-Remain Tory MP Anna Soubry told Sky News: "If there's any nonsense I for one won't be voting for the Government's amendment.
"We want legislation that moves through Parliament and is passed by Parliament with the full weight of parliamentary sovereignty and we instruct the Government to carry out the will of the people.
"We want to give that power, to give that decision to the Government - we instruct Government, Government does not instruct Parliament any more than it instructs the people of this country."
In a major climbdown, the Government is now accepting Labour's motion committing the Prime Minister "to publish the Government's plan for leaving the EU before Article 50 is invoked".
But its own amendment "calls on the Government to invoke Article 50 by 31 March 2017" and has been accepted by Labour.
The shadow Brexit secretary, Sir Keir Starmer, told Sky News: "It's not entirely clear at the moment that the Government has got a plan, it needs to have a plan by March, and it needs to disclose that plan.
"This is not intended to frustrate or hold up the process, it is intended to put in basic accountability and scrutiny.
"The basic questions are: Are you aiming to be in or out of the customs union? What do you want to achieve from the single market? Are you going for transitional arrangements?
"We need to know the answers to these questions. Businesses and working people need to know the answers because the uncertainty is causing great anxiety."
The Prime Minister will miss the debate because she is on the final day of a trip to Bahrain.
But after declaring on a Royal Navy warship in the Gulf that she wants a "red, white and blue Brexit", the PM's tactics in the Commons today are significant for two reasons.
After months of ruling out a "running commentary", she has conceded a plan for the first time.
But at the same time, she aims to bind MPs to her timetable of triggering Article 50 in March next year.
Labour says the Government's climbdown is a "significant 11th-hour concession" and will back the Prime Minister's amendment.
The party is also calling on her to reveal her negotiating hand before the end of January to allow at least two months of scrutiny by MPs.
However, in a bid to woo Tory rebels, Labour's own motion says: "There should be no disclosure of material that could be reasonably judged to damage the UK in any negotiations."