MPs vote overwhelmingly to trigger leaving the EU

Parliament - PA

Britain's exit from the European Union took a step closer last night after MPs overwhelmingly backed the Government's plan to trigger Article 50 by the end of March.

Following two days of at-times heated debate, they voted 498 to 114 in favour of the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill at second reading. It will now proceed to the next stage of the parliamentary process, when MPs will try to amend it.

Dozens of rebel Labour MPs - including several frontbenchers - defied party leader Jeremy Corbyn to vote with the SNP and Liberal Democrats against the bill, which will now return to the Commons for another three days of consideration next week.

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Shadow Cabinet members Rachel Maskell and Dawn Butler quit their posts less than an hour before voting against the bill.

Earlier, an SNP bid to throw out the bill was defeated by 336 votes to 100.

SNP Europe spokesman Stephen Gethins MP said: "Make no mistake this is a devastating decision for the whole of the UK, everyone person who lives here - and a day that will go down in infamy."

If passed, the Article 50 bill will give Theresa May the authority to formally begin the Article 50 process and begin the two-year countdown until Britain leaves the EU.

Kicking off the debate yesterday, Brexit Secretary David Davis warned his parliamentary colleagues to "trust the people" by respecting the result of last year's EU referendum.

His Labour shadow Sir Keir Starmer said his party would not seek to block the Article 50 process, despite campaigning for Remain.

"Although we are fiercely internationalist and fiercely pro-European, we are in the Labour party above all democrats," he said. "Had the outcome been remain, we would have expected the result to have been honoured – and that cuts both ways."

But many Labour MPs made clear their opposition to the bill and vowed to defy Corbyn by voting against it.

They included Bermondsey and Old Southwark MP Neil Coyle, who was also forced to apologise for saying the Government was "full of bastards".

Former Chancellor George Osborne warned Theresa May that she faces a "bitter" negotiation with European leaders when talks officially get underway later this year.

He said: "I spent four years negotiating with Michel Barnier and I would advise my Right Honourable Friend the Secretary of State [David Davis] to, as he always is, be well-briefed and pack a pack of Pro Plus, because there are going to be many long nights ahead."

Meanwhile, May announced at Prime Minister's Questions that the White Paper on the Article 50 bill will be published today.