MPs have approved the bill giving Theresa May permission to trigger Brexit – on another night of Labour resignations.

At its third reading, the final Commons stage, the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill passed by 494 votes to 122 - a majority of 372.

It must now go to the House of Lords before the Prime Minister can invoke Article 50, which she has promised to do by the end of March.

Brexit Secretary David Davis said: "We've seen a historic vote tonight - a big majority for getting on with negotiating our exit from the EU and a strong, new partnership with its member states."

Salmond lashes out at 'English Tory Brexiteers'

A total of 52 Labour MPs voted against triggering Article 50, defying the orders of their leader Jeremy Corbyn - more than the 47 who did the same at last week's second reading.


Former chancellor Ken Clarke was again the only Conservative to vote against the bill.

Conservative MP Iain Duncan Smith said he was "delighted" after the vote, adding: "Nothing is easy, nothing is written in stone but tonight we've started the process of delivering on what was essentially the referendum result on 23 June last year."

He added: "There are a lot of Labour MPs that have voted tonight with the Government to trigger Article 50 in the third reading so, to my mind, there is a sense about this that we need to get on with it."

Abbott: I voted for bill but Tory Brexit 'will be quite disastrous'

Diane Abbott, Labour MP and shadow home secretary, said she had voted in favour of the bill but told Sky News that "a Tory Brexit is going to be quite disastrous".

When asked if her vote had therefore helped give the Tory party a blank cheque, she replied: "I don't believe we've given them a blank cheque, we're going to be holding them to account."

When asked how the Labour Party would do this, she answered: "We're going to be holding them to account on the floor of the House."

After the vote, Mr Corbyn tweeted: "Real fight starts now. Over next two years Labour will use every opportunity to ensure Brexit protects jobs, living standards and the economy."

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon replied: "How? You've just handed the Tories a blank cheque. You didn't win a single concession but still voted for the bill. Pathetic."

How? You've just handed the Tories a blank cheque. You didn't win a single concession but still voted for the Bill. Pathetic. https://t.co/kDje2GLAey — Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) February 8, 2017

Labour MP Tulip Siddiq said she was "deeply, deeply worried" by the result of the vote.

She added: "What's happening to our access to the single market? What's happening to all the environmental protections and all the funding that comes for scientific produce in my constituency?"

Image: Clive Lewis has resigned as shadow business secretary

Earlier, Clive Lewis resigned from the shadow cabinet, saying that he could not bring himself to vote in support of the bill.

Sky News Political Editor Faisal Islam said Mr Lewis had become the fourth shadow cabinet minister to resign, the others having quit at the earlier second reading of the Brexit bill.

"This was something that we had expected - Clive Lewis had said that he was going to vote for the second reading on the expectation that the bill would be amended with Labour amendments.

"That hasn't happened, so he has said he cannot vote for it."

Official Brexit negotiating strategy revealed

Earlier in the evening, calls for Britain to guarantee the rights of EU nationals were defeated in the Commons after an expected Tory rebellion was stifled.

The amendment had been brought by former Labour leader Harriet Harman to ensure that all EU citizens living in the UK on 23 June 2016 - the date of the referendum - would have their right to stay protected.

The amendment was defeated by 332 votes to 290, a majority of 42.

Amber Rudd, the Home Secretary, had written to Tories to reassure them that the bill would "not change our immigration system".

Just three Tory backbenchers - Ken Clarke, Tania Mathias and Andrew Tyrie - backed the amendment.