Brexit Secretary to reveal EU exit plan after MPs back Article 50 bill
The Brexit Secretary will disclose the Government's official European Union exit strategy in a statement later this morning.
Thursday 2 February 2017 12:41, UK
The Government is to publish a detailed Brexit plan in a White Paper after winning a huge majority for its Article 50 bill in the Commons.
The document will flesh out the Prime Minister's big Brexit speech at Lancaster House last month and contain ministers' negotiating strategy for leaving the EU.
Brexit Secretary David Davis will set out the plans in a statement to MPs at lunchtime the same time the Government publishes the proposals.
Leave supporter and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling told Sky News: "I do think that this White Paper will set us on a very clear path towards Brexit.
"It sets out some clear principles for Brexit and I think it gives a direction to the Government and to the country about the future that we are going to shape for ourselves."
Its publication comes after the European Union (Notification Of Withdrawal) Bill was .
But while most Tories are jubilant after last night's vote, Jeremy Corbyn is facing a bitter Labour split after a fifth of his MPs, 47 in total, defied his three-line whip and voted against triggering Article 50.
Less than an hour before MPs began voting, two more members of Mr Corbyn's shadow cabinet, Rachel Maskell and Dawn Butler, quit so they could join the Labour backbench revolt.
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A further 10 junior shadow ministers and three whips, who are supposed to enforce party discipline, also voted against triggering Article 50.
There was surprise among MPs when the Labour leader's close ally, shadow home secretary Diane Abbott, did not vote, but it turned out she had been taken ill and left Parliament before the vote.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell said on Thursday the parliamentary convention of resigning would apply to shadow cabinet members but frontbenchers could keep their jobs.
However, the Labour leadership is not expected to make a decision about what to do with the rebels until next week.
In her Lancaster House speech, which forms the basis for the official Brexit document, the PM said: "This Government has a plan for Britain - one that gets us the right deal abroad but also ensures we get a better deal for ordinary working people at home."
She also , including leaving the single market and controlling immigration.
After the Article 50 vote in the Commons, Mr Corbyn attempted to brush aside the Labour rebellion and said: "Labour MPs voted more than three to one in favour of triggering Article 50.
"Now the battle of the week ahead is to shape Brexit negotiations to put jobs, living standards and accountability centre stage. Labour's amendments are the real agenda.
"The challenge is for MPs of all parties to ensure the best deal for Britain, and that doesn't mean giving Theresa May a free hand to turn Britain into a bargain basement tax haven."
Explaining her decision to resign from the shadow cabinet, Rachel Maskell told Sky News she consulted with constituents and local businesses as well as holding emergency meetings this week before deciding how to vote.
"The UK is no longer being offered a 'people's Brexit' but a 'Theresa May Brexit', which goes far beyond just leaving the European Union, as voted on at the referendum last June," she said.
A spokeswoman for Dawn Butler said: "She could not in good conscience vote for a bill which is just a few lines.
"Since the referendum Dawn has made it clear to her constituents that she would respect the democratic vote of Brent, which voted 60% to remain."