British lawmakers vote to back PM May’s Brexit timetable

Gethins said: “For nearly six months the UK Government has been shamefully silent on its preparations for negotiations with the European Union, despite livelihoods and businesses relying so heavily on the UK’s relationship with the EU”.

The government is now fighting a legal challenge at the Supreme Court to stop parliament having the final say on a decision to trigger Article 50 of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty, which would begin formal exit negotiations.

Mrs May had said that she did not want to give away her tactics by revealing plans.

A man has been arrested on suspicion of sending online threats to the lead claimant in Britain’s Brexit court case, police said Wednesday, as the high-stakes legal drama continued at the Supreme Court.

MPs voted 461-89 in favor of the motion.

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer insisted Labour’s hands had not been tied, telling Sky News: “If the plan the Government comes up with is a late, vague plan, they can expect further challenge”.

I think there has been a change, she said.

At the Supreme Court, government lawyer James Eadie said the lawmakers’ vote meant “the House of Commons has given specific approval to the government to give that (Article 50) notice”.

After reports that Tory backbenchers plan to join forces with Labour in a Brexit Commons vote tomorrow UKIP’s Brexit Spokesman Gerard Batten MEP said, “The anti-Brexit majority in the Commons is clearly planning to use the drawn out Article 50 process to hijack Brexit”.

At least 64 Conservative and Labour lawmakers in the lower house have said they plan to vote to trigger Article 50 if parliament is given a say.

Labour lawmaker Ben Bradshaw said it was a “trap”.

David Neuberger, president of the Supreme Court, said the judges would rule on the complex case “as quickly as possible”.

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 European Union divorce process.

“We will not frustrate the process by voting down Article 50, but we can not have a debate in a vacuum”, Labour’s Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer told parliament last month.

Mr Clarke said: “It is sadly clear from the constant remarks made to the newspapers and the leaks from now and again that, at the moment, ministers have no idea what the strategy is anyway, and they don’t actually agree with each other”.

That requires full legislation to pass through both the Commons and Lords, and could allow parliamentarians to pass amendments about the type of Brexit the government will seek.

“Any honourable member who votes will be seeking to thwart the outcome of the referendum in the most profoundly undemocratic fashion”.

A vote to trigger Article 50, which would make the United Kingdom depart from the European Union, passed the British parliament today by a wide margin.

It is not however known how detailed the ‘plan would be and the wording says that the government need not reveal anything which might damage its negotiations.