Brexit: MPs to vote on Article 50 timetable

The Labour Party in the United Kingdom called an Opposition Day Debate and Motion in the House of Commons on the 7 December 2016 on the subject of The Government's plan for Brexit. The aim was to force the UK Government to reveal more about its future negotiating strategy to bring the country out of the European Union before it formally triggered the Article 50 procedure before the end of March 2017.

News sources reported that the UK Government pre-empted some criticism expected in the debate by announcing on the 6 December 2016 that it would issue an outline plan for leaving the EU before March 2017.

The debate and motion was not directly linked to the concurrent Article 50 case which was being heard in the Supreme Court during December 2016, with a ruling expected in January 2017.

• Primary Source

ESO: In Focus: Brexit - The United Kingdom and the European Union http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-the-united-kingdom-and-the-european-union/

ESO: Background information: Article 50 'Brexit' Appeal. R (on the application of Miller and Dos Santos) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union and associated references, 5-8 December 2016 http://www.europeansources.info/record/article-50-brexit-appeal-r-on-the-application-of-miller-and-dos-santos-v-secretary-of-state-for-exiting-the-european-union-and-associated-references-5-8-december-2016/

Politico, 06.12.16: Theresa May to reveal more Brexit details before March http://www.politico.eu/article/theresa-may-to-reveal-more-brexit-details-before-march/

The Guardian, 06.12.16: May says she will reveal Brexit plan before triggering article 50 https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/dec/06/may-says-she-will-reveal-brexit-plan-before-triggering-article-50

UK: Parliament: Parliamentary Business:News, 07.12.16: MPs debate the Government's plan for Brexit http://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2016/december/mps-debate-the-governments-plan-for-brexit/

EurActiv, 08.12.16: May wins parliament vote to trigger Article 50 by March 2017 http://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/news/may-wins-parliament-vote-to-trigger-article-50-by-march-2017/

EUObserver, 08.12.16: British MPs back May's Brexit timetable https://euobserver.com/uk-referendum/136193

BBC News, 07.12.16: MPs back government's Brexit timetable http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38243500

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