MPs to vote on Brexit timetable on Wednesday
MPs will have the opportunity to vote for the first time on the government's Brexit timetable on Wednesday, after the Prime Minister conceded to calls from the Labour party for greater clarity and in order to avoid a Tory rebellion.
Theresa May, the Prime Minister, said on Tuesday that she will publish her plan for Brexit before triggering Article 50, after the Labour party called for more clarity before formal talks begin.
Labour said it would back triggering Article 50, the clause in the Lisbon treaty which starts a two-year clock on negotiations, but wanted scrutiny of the plans.
May hopes to avoid a rebellion in her own party by allowing MPs to debate whether she should set out her plans before triggering Article 50 in March 2017, but it is not yet known how much detail she will provide.
Keir Starmer, Labour’s shadow Brexit secretary, brought the motion with support from some Conservative party MPs who favour a ‘soft’ Brexit - some form of access to the single market and customs union.
May previously said that it would she will not give a “running commentary” as to not expose her hand in negotiations with the EU.