British MPs to vote on May’s Brexit timetable

In a dramatic move aimed at curbing rebellion around Brexit, British Prime Minister Theresa May is offering MPs to vote on her plan to start negotiation on Britain’s exit from the European Union.

British MPs will be asked in the House of Commons today to back the UK government’s plan to trigger Article 50 by the end of March 2017, which will begin the formal process of exit negotiations from the 28-member economic bloc.

May has also committed to revealing the official plan for Brexit before the actual process begins, without committing to any detailed account.

MPs are expected to vote in favour of the government’s timetable but Opposition Labour has been demanding more information on the exit strategy.

The party’s Brexit spokesman, Sir Keir Starmer, said his party would continue to challenge the government if its plan was “not detailed enough”.

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.” 

The debate comes after a procedural battle between the parties over the wording of the motion to be put to MPs.

May had been refusing to provide a “running commentary” on Brexit after the UK voted to leave the EU in a referendum in June.

As the Supreme Court in London continues to hear a case to establish the extent of British PM’s power in launching into a Brexit without parliamentary approval, Downing Street put forward an amendment agreeing to publish a plan before triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.

Starmer described it as “a welcome and hugely significant climbdown”, while the government believes receiving this parliamentary backing for the timetable would avoid delays to the Brexit process.

The Liberal Democrats and Scottich National Party are expected to vote against the motion in an attempt to block Brexit.