FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email Sign up fornow and never miss the top politics stories again. We will use your email address only for sending you newsletters. Please see our Privacy Notice for details of your data protection rights.

They completed a two-day Second Reading debate on the principles of the legislation to let the Prime Minister start formal talks with the EU by invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty. The brief EU (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill passed the Commons with no changes. But some of the more than 180 peers who spoke in the Lords first debate on it made clear they will try to amend it during more detailed scrutiny starting next week.

Labour former minister Lord McKenzie of Luton conceded the elected Commons must prevail: "However, we should push our authority to the limit in challenging the Government on their proposed deal."

The role of this chamber is to point out where legislation needs amending when we believe mistakes have been made Lady Altmann

Labour's Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws said unelected peers had a duty to "take the long view and consider the wellbeing of our kingdom." Some Labour peers were scathing about Jeremy Corbyn who ordered his MPs to vote for the Bill. Former Tony Blair adviser Lord Liddle said: "The debilitation of our own party contributed to Brexit. We have a leader who, unlike the vast majority of Labour members ... has never been a European true believer.

GETTY House of Lords member's insisted today they had a right to fight a clean-break Brexit

"In the referendum he failed ... (to make) a compelling, positive case for Europe. "And now I see no clarion call for the fight, only a three-line whip in the Commons to force Labour MPs to troop through the lobbies alongside a rightwing Tory government ... even when all our so-called red line amendments had been defeated." Former Labour general secretary Lord Triesman joked Mrs May had, unusually, attended the Lords' debate on Monday "probably in order to seek a nostalgic reminder of what opposition was like". Conservative former pensions minster Baroness Altmann said concerned peers had a duty despite the personal attacks rained down on them to speak out about the risks to ordinary people of a Brexit which put "politics above economics. "Of course the elected chamber has the final say .. but the role of this chamber is to point out where legislation needs amending when we believe mistakes have been made," said Lady Altmann.

GETTY Prime Minister Theresa May sits behind the Speaker during a debate on the Brexit Bill

Crossbencher Baroness Murphy said the Daily Express had warned peers not to "thwart the will of the people" but "that does not mean Parliament should become the poodle of the people". Crossbencher Lord Kerr of Kinlochard claimed Article 50 which he drafted was “not irrevocable. If, having looking into the abyss, we were to change our minds about withdrawal, we certainly could and noone in Brussels could stop us." . Warning Brexit would harm the economy, he added in a dig at David Cameron and Boris Johnson's university high jinks: "It won't be those who got us into this fix who will suffer. The Bullingdon Boys will be just fine. The country may not be."

What Theresa May's 12-point Brexit plan really means Mon, January 16, 2017 It's finally here. Play slideshow Getty Images 1 of 7 Continued cooperation with the EU to tackle terrorism and international crime.

GETTY Member's of the House of Lords during Second Reading debate