60 anti-Brexit MPs set to vote against start of EU withdrawal process

Political reporter(wp/es):

At least 60 anti-Brexit MPs were today expected to vote against moving Article 50 to begin the formal moves to leave the European Union.

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer, openeing the debate, was set to say there was “no consensus for hard Brexit”.

A handful of Labour MPs were set to join with nine Liberal Democrats and up to 53 SNP MPs in rejecting Theresa May’s demand that they “respect”  the June referendum result.

Most Labour MPs were not expected to defy the PM’s amendment, for fear of offending local voters who backed Leave in the referendum.  But hard-liners said they would not back Brexit unless the Prime Minister published a proper plan for the future relationship with Europe.

Former Labour Cabinet minister Ben Bradshaw said: “I will not vote today to invoke Article 50 by March when we still have no idea what sort of #Brexit the Government will pursue.”

Shadow early year ministers Tulip Siddiq added: “It’s been six months since the referendum. It’s ludicrous that it’s taken this long for Theresa May to acknowledge that Brexit is important enough that the British people need to know what her Government’s plans are for exiting the European Union.

“I have to be honest - it’s going to take a lot for the Government to convince me to vote against nearly 75 per cent of my constituents in Hampstead and Kilburn who voted to remain in the European Union.”

Brexit Secretary David Davis was expected to set down a challenge to the pro-EU MPs in his speech opening this afternoon’s debate, by saying they were disregarding the wishes of the country as expressed in the referendum.

The Prime Minister was not expected to return from her trip to the Middle East in time to vote. 

Mrs May defused a Tory revolt last night by promising to publish her negotiation aims before moving Article 50 next year. But No 10 sources made plain that she would not give out detailed negotiating points, but just broad aims, possibly in a ministerial statement.

Sir Keir warned Mrs May not to hide her plans behind a smokescreen. “There’s a level of detail she cannot possibly reveal,” he accepted. “What would be unacceptable is to say we will process with the process for two years without even telling you what the overall objectives are.”

Meanwhile, George Freeman, who heads Mrs May’s policy board, described Brexit as an “Arctic Convoy moment” for the UK.

Asked in an interview with website ConservativeHome whether he felt energised by the June 23 referendum result, he said: “Yes. This feels to me like an ‘Arctic Convoy’ moment for HMS Britain. All officers on deck. Action stations.”

Pressed on the fact that the Arctic Convoys were a “pretty desperate business,” he added: “But equally, in the end it was a lifeline, and a defining test for the country that we passed.”