Brexit Secretary David Davis has told Parliament the Government will reject any attempts to undo the result of the EU referendum.

He was making a statement in the House of Commons after calls for MPs to be able to vote ahead of the triggering of Article 50.

It is expected that Theresa May will launch negotiations with Europe over the terms of Britain's departure from the EU before the end of March.

Conservative MP Stephen Phillips has demanded an urgent debate on whether the terms of Brexit are discussed in Parliament before the negotiations with the EU formally begin.

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In a letter to House of Commons speaker John Bercow, the Leave campaigner wrote: "I and many others did not exercise our vote in the referendum so as to restore the sovereignty of this Parliament only to see what we regarded as the tyranny of the European Union replaced by that of a government that apparently wishes to ignore the view of the House on the most important issue facing the nation."


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Other MPs, including Conservatives Anna Soubry and Nicky Morgan, Lib Dem EU spokesman Nick Clegg and former Labour leader Ed Miliband, all remainers, have also demanded that MPs have their say.

Mr Davis told the House: "The referendum was backed by six to one in this house.

"We have a duty to carry out the people's instructions.

"The mandate is clear.

"We will reject any attempt to undo the referendum result... to hold up the process unduly, or any attempt to keep Britain in the EU by the backdoor by those who didn't like the answer they were given on June 23.

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"The Prime Minister has been clear: we won't be giving a running commentary as that is not the way to get the right deal for Britain... but we are committed to providing clarity where we can.

"Naturally I want this House to be engaged throughout and we will observe the constitutional and legal precedents that apply to any new treaty with the European Union.

"Indeed, my whole approach is about empowering this place."

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Mr Davis went on to explain that it was the proposed Great Repeal Act - the bill for which would be introduced in the next parliamentary session - that would provide the opportunity for the house to debate and legislate, to make sure there was "no black hole" in the UK statute book after 40 years of EU laws.

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"Then it will be for this House to consider the changes to our domestic legislation to reflect the outcome of our negotiation and our exit, subject to international treaties and agreements with other countries and the EU on matters such as trade," he added.

Earlier, the Prime Minister's spokesman said it was "absolutely necessary" for the MPs to scrutinise the "process" of leaving the EU but that MPs should not be given a vote.

Mrs May, who is in Copenhagen meeting her Danish counterpart, said in a joint statement that she was hoping for a "smooth" departure from the EU.

Image: Theresa May meets with Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen

She said she expected to "be able to guarantee the legal right of EU nationals already in the UK so long as British nationals living Europe receive - in countries who are member states of the EU - the same treatment."

Danish PM Lars-Lokke Rasmussen said there would have to be a "balance" of rights in any Brexit deal.

But his comments were not as hardline as those from the likes of German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Francois Hollande, who have stated that free movement is a condition of single market membership.