MPs have overwhelmingly backed Theresa May's plan to trigger Brexit in a vote which supporters said gave the Prime Minister a "blank cheque" to take Britain out of Europe.

The result saw 461 MPs side with the Prime Minister and vote to commit the Government to triggering Article 50 by the end of March next year.

However, 89 backbenchers including just one Tory and 23 Labour MPs opposed her plan in a show of defiance against the EU referendum result.

The majority raises questions over the ongoing Supreme Court case in which campaigners are demanding Mrs May create a new law and put it before Parliament before triggering Article 50, which begins formal Brexit talks with Brussels.

During the hearing on Wednesday Lord Neuberger, the President of the Supreme Court, appeared to question the need for the case if Parliament had already voted to give the Prime Minister its support.

Lord Neuberger conceded that to the average man in the street it would seem "odd" for the courts to say that the Government needed the "magic wand" of legislation to trigger Article 50 if motions had been passed in the Commons and Lords explicitly calling for that.

Tory MPs on Wednesday night questioned the continued relevance of the Supreme Court case. Andrew Bridgen, a Conservative MP, said: "We need to forget the decision of the Supreme Court. Events in the house have made the Supreme Court ruling an irrelevance.

"It would appear that contrary to popular belief democracy is alive and kicking in the House of Commons."

Earlier this week, Europhile Tories claimed that as many as 40 MPs were planning to back a Labour motion demanding that Mrs May reveals a “Brexit plan” before triggering Article 50.