UK Government faces backbench rebellion over Brexit white paper

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MPs from across the political divide including a number of Conservatives are demanding the Government issues a White Paper detailing its full plan for Brexit before Article 50 is triggered.

According to the BBC more than half a dozen Conservative MPs - including some former ministers - have already met with party whips to push for a formal document.

Their demand raises the prospect that the Government will have to fight an amendment backed by its own MPs to produce a Brexit White Paper.

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Labour said it is prepared for “hand-to-hand combat” in Parliament to make sure the EU withdrawal process receives full scrutiny.

The moves come after the Supreme Court ruled against the Government to say MPs must get a vote on triggering Article 50 - which sets the ball rolling on the two-year Brexit negotiations.

Ministers are expected to produce a short bill to invoke the Lisbon Treaty clause as early as tomorrow. Its brevity would prevent MPs tabling scores of amendments to delay the legislation.

Senior Tory MPs - including former ministers Anna Soubry, Alistair Burt and Nicky Morgan - are pushing for a White Paper so the Government’s aims can receive greater debate.

In the Commons yesterday Morgan said the debate would be “swifter” with an official document, while Soubry said publication of a full plan would “bring us together”.

Burt reminded the House that the Brexit Select Committee had called unanimously for a White Paper and producing one would “enhance” May’s efforts.

Brexit Secretary David Davis said: “We will provide as much information as possible.

“But people should bear in mind that the Article 50 bill is going to be presented quite quickly to the House, so we do not have a great deal of time either.”

Downing Street did not explicitly rule out a White Paper but added that Theresa May set out her plan in a landmark speech on Brexit last week.

The Prime Minister said the UK would leave the single market and likely the customs union, while MPs will get a vote on the final deal once negotiations with the bloc are complete.

Labour has said it will table a handful of amendments, including a call for Britain to retain full access to the European single market, as well as protection of workers' rights.

The Liberal Democrats have said they will not vote for Article 50 to be triggered unless a second referendum is pledged to follow the terms of Brexit being agreed with the EU.

The SNP, meanwhile, have vowed to table 50 amendments to the Article 50 bill and dangled the prospect of another independence referendum if Scotland is denied the chance to remain in the single market.