SNP bid to halt Article 50 expected to fail

Westminster - Daniel Leal-Olivas PA 

An attempt to block the UK government triggering the formal process of leaving the EU is expected to fail in the House of Commons today.

Westminster is debating legislation which would see the UK triggering Article 50, which formally notifies the European Union of Britain’s intention to leave.

The SNP has tabled an amendment to kill the bill, which has gained the support of the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru and Green MP Caroline Lucas as well as some Labour MPs, but Jeremy Corbyn has whipped his party to vote with the government.

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Conservative veteran Ken Clarke is expected to be the only Conservative to back the amendment.

He used the debate to attack careerists within his own party.

"What I would point out to those who say that somehow I am being disloyal to my party by not voting in favour of this bill, I am merely propounding the official policy of the Conservative party for 50 years until 23 June 2016,” he said.

“I admire my colleagues who can suddenly become enthusiastic Brexiteers, having seen a light on the road to Damascus ... I am afraid that light has been denied me.”

SNP MP Stephen Gethins said the UK Government was “turning its back” on devolution and the wishes of the devolved nations.

"I'd urge members to vote for our amendment, otherwise this is a backward and damaging step and it is an act of constitutional and economic sabotage," he said.

Brexit Secretary David Davis said: “This is not a bill about whether the UK should leave the EU or indeed how it should do it. It is simply about parliament empowering the government to implement a decision already made, a point of no return already passed.

“We asked the people of the UK if they wanted to leave the EU. They decided they did. So at the core of this Bill lies a very simple question. Do we trust the people or not?”

Speaking ahead of the second day of debate, the SNP’s International Affairs spokesperson Alex Salmond urged others to back the SNP amendment.

“It is time for the opposition parties to live up to their title and back the SNP’s reasoned amendment to hold this government to account for failing to outline a single ounce of detail and instead opting to bulldoze this Bill through Parliament,” he said.

“A Bill without a White Paper, without a policy position, without guaranteeing the rights of EU citizens and without a clue.”

Among Labour MPs set to defy Jeremy Corbyn and vote against the Government is the party’s only MP in Scotland Ian Murray.

In a letter to constituents he said he didn’t think the UK had voted in last year’s referendum for the kind of ‘hard’ Brexit Theresa May is proposing, while Edinburgh South had voted to remain by 78 per cent.

“I will vote against this Bill in the House of Commons on Wednesday evening and will try and ensure, if it is passed, that the Bill is altered to set out the direction of travel the Government has to embark in order to get the softest of soft Brexits for the people of this country and Edinburgh South,” he said.