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Brexit: MPs to vote on Article 50 timetable 'Detailed' Brexit plan demanded by Labour ahead of vote
(about 3 hours later)
MPs are set to vote for the first time on the government's plan to trigger Brexit by the end of March next year. Labour will demand the government publishes a "pretty detailed" negotiating plan when MPs debate the UK's Brexit strategy later.
Prime Minister Theresa May agreed on Tuesday to publish her plan for leaving the EU - to avoid a possible Tory rebellion and defeat in the Commons. MPs are expected to vote in favour of the government's timetable, of starting formal talks by the end of March, while also calling on the PM publish a "plan" beforehand.
The government hopes that move will persuade MPs to support its schedule for starting the process of leaving. The government has so far refused a "running commentary" on its strategy.
Labour - which initiated the debate - said it would back the timetable but wanted scrutiny of Brexit plans. Labour, which has been demanding more information, has called the debate.
Labour's shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer put forward a motion to be debated on Wednesday, with support from some on the Conservative back benches. The party's Brexit spokesman Sir Keir Starmer said his party would continue to challenge the government if its plan was "not detailed enough".
The party wanted to force the government to reveal its negotiating stance before formal talks with EU leaders begin. He said: "I think it's got to be pretty detailed, they've got to set out what those objectives are. I don't think it needs to be in a particular form, but if it's not detailed enough they can expect further challenge."
Downing Street tabled an amendment agreeing to outline its strategy, in exchange for MP's approval of the government's timetable for triggering Article 50. The debate comes after a procedural battle between the parties over the wording of the motion to be put to MPs.
BBC political correspondent Alex Forsyth said the government's agreement to publish its plan "did not commit to providing any real detail". The outcome was that Downing Street put forward an amendment agreeing to publish a "plan" before triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty - although it has not said how detailed this will be - while in return Labour is backing government's timetable.
Has the PM backed down over Brexit?Has the PM backed down over Brexit?
By Laura Kuenssberg, political editorBy Laura Kuenssberg, political editor
The government has announced that it will accept Labour's idea to publish a plan, of sorts, for Brexit, before Article 50 begins the legal process of the UK disentangling itself from the EU.The government has announced that it will accept Labour's idea to publish a plan, of sorts, for Brexit, before Article 50 begins the legal process of the UK disentangling itself from the EU.
Some Tory MPs were set to gang up with Labour in a vote to force ministers to publish something, anything, about their plans for Brexit, against Theresa May's wishes.Some Tory MPs were set to gang up with Labour in a vote to force ministers to publish something, anything, about their plans for Brexit, against Theresa May's wishes.
Remember, one of the few things that we know for sure about the prime minister's plans for leaving the EU is that she does not want MPs to be able to tinker with them, scrutinise them in a meaningful way, before she actually gets to the negotiating table.Remember, one of the few things that we know for sure about the prime minister's plans for leaving the EU is that she does not want MPs to be able to tinker with them, scrutinise them in a meaningful way, before she actually gets to the negotiating table.
So has she just backed down? In pure terms, yes. Labour's Keir Starmer, the party's Brexit spokesman, will claim victory. And by accepting Labour's idea, ministers have been pushed to do something they had been intent on avoiding - promising to publish their intentions before the technical legal process begins.So has she just backed down? In pure terms, yes. Labour's Keir Starmer, the party's Brexit spokesman, will claim victory. And by accepting Labour's idea, ministers have been pushed to do something they had been intent on avoiding - promising to publish their intentions before the technical legal process begins.
But what will that actually look like? So far, so vague. Accepting the amendment does not mean they have promised to do anything in particular.But what will that actually look like? So far, so vague. Accepting the amendment does not mean they have promised to do anything in particular.
Read more from LauraRead more from Laura
Mr Starmer, who will lead the debate for Labour, called the amendment "a welcome and hugely significant climbdown from the government" and said his party would push for the Brexit plan to be published by January. Both Labour and the government claimed victory when it emerged the final amendment would receive widespread backing in the House of Commons.
Conservative MP Anna Soubry, who campaigned to remain in the EU, added that the new amendment was a "significant victory". Mr Starmer said it was a "a welcome and hugely significant climbdown", while government sources said by backing the government's timetable MPs would commit to not delaying the Brexit process.
However, government sources would not confirm any specific form of document on any specific timetable to fit with the commitment to publish a Brexit plan, apart from saying that it would be before Article 50. Former Conservative minister Sir Oliver Letwin, who chaired the Government's Brexit unit immediately after the referendum, said he did not expect Mrs May to set out any more detail than what is already known.
Sources also said by accepting Labour's amendment, the government was not agreeing to give MPs a vote before the process of leaving the EU begins. The debate is expected to begin at about 12:45 GMT, and the vote will not be binding on the government.