Opposition MPs declare they are ready to defy the will of the people and vote against triggering Brexit
Theresa May is hoping judges will rule she can trigger Article 50 without the approval of Parliament
A GROUP of MPs is preparing to defy the will of the British people by trying to block Theresa May from triggering Article 50.
Lib Dem, Labour and SDLP politicians are prepared to vote against it in the House of Commons and it is thought the SNP may follow suit.
The leader of the Lib Dems, Tim Farron, has been caught on camera admitting there is a secret plan to keep Britain in the EU.
And speaking this morning he reiterated his stance that some MPs will vote against Brexit if judges rule triggering Article 50 requires parliamentary approval.
His party has repeatedly called for a second referendum where Brits would vote on the outcome of the Government’s negotiations with the EU.
But he has now gone one step further and said they will definitely vote against Article 50 if they do not get what they want.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he said: “Article 50 would proceed but only if there is a referendum on the terms of the deal and if the British people are not respected then, yes, that is a red line and we would vote against the government."
Several Labour MPs have also come out and said they will vote against it, despite their party’s official line being that they would not do so.
They include Shadow Foreign Office Minister Catherine West, former leadership contender Owen Smith and Dulwich and West Norwood MP Helen Hayes – unless the Government accepts amendments.
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Adding her name to the opposition list is Labour whip Thangam Debbonaire and former Labour Minister David Lammy and Shadow Transport Minister Daniel Zeichner.
All three MPs from the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) are also opposed to it and they may get support from the 54 members of the Scottish Nationalist Party who sit on the green benches.
The party’s leader Nicola Sturgeon has said the will of the Scottish people must be respected and they will not go along with anything that undermines this.
She has said they would vote against a Bill that would write EU provisions into British law as the country prepares for Brexit.
Despite this opposition, the Bill to trigger Article 50 is expected to pass through the Commons as it has the backing of Tory MPs and the support or abstention of most of the Labour MPs.
There may be some difficulty though with the Lib Dem peers in the Lords who are hopeful of blocking the Bill.
But Theresa May is hoping it does not have to get to that stage.
The Government is appealing the High Court’s legal decision which said the PM must get parliamentary approval before triggering Article 50 – and so starting the formal procedure of leaving the EU.
The appeal at the Supreme Court starts on December 5 and is expected to last four days, with a decision expected in January.
If the judges agree with the Government that Mrs May can use prerogative powers then she will not need to get parliamentary approval before starting Brexit.