Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron has criticised Theresa May's Brexit bill ahead of the vote on Article 50 for being "short and not sweet".

The Government was forced to draw up the legislation after losing an appeal at the Supreme Court, where judges ruled Parliament must give permission to start the process of divorcing Britain from the EU.

“This Bill is short and not sweet," Mr Farron said. "Given how long he’s been campaigning to leave, it’s amazing this 133 word bill took David Davis such long time — that’s only five words a day since Brexit.

The bill is only a handful of lines long

“Take back control was a mantra of the leave campaign, but this government’s extreme reluctance to involve parliament in this process has instead been an affront to parliamentary sovereignty and democracy.

“With Labour totally confused over Brexit and the Conservatives determined to take us out of Europe and the Single Market at any cost, only the Liberal Democrats are fighting for full membership of the Single Market and a public vote on the final deal.”

Theresa May pledges white paper on Brexit strategy

The Liberal Democrats have vowed to oppose the Bill unless there is a guarantee of a second referendum on the final Brexit deal agreed with Brussels.

The SNP has indicated all 50 of its MPs will table 50 amendments to the legislation.

The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill is being rushed through Parliament in order to meet Ms May's deadline for triggering Article 50 by the end of March.

The second reading, the first Commons hurdle for the Bill, will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday and some MPs are expected to oppose it outright.

It will then undergo its committee stage the following week, which is when the Government will face numerous attempts to amend the legislation from MPs on all sides.

Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Show all 13 1 /13 Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Supreme Court Brexit Challenge People wait to enter the public gallery outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Gina Miller, co-founder of investment fund SCM Private arrives at the Supreme court in London on the first day of a four-day hearing Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A man waves the EU flag in front of the Supreme Court Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Satirical artist Kaya Mar poses with two of his paintings in front of the Supreme Court Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Pro-Europe protestors dressed as Supreme Court Justices stand outside the Supreme Court ahead of the first day of a hearing into whether Parliament's consent is required before the Brexit process can begin. The eleven Supreme Court Justices will hear the government's appeal, following the High Court's recent decision that only Parliament can trigger Article 50 Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge The eleven Supreme Court Justices will hear the government's appeal, following the High Court's recent decision that only Parliament can trigger Article 50 Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Businesswoman Gina Miller arrives at the Supreme Court ahead of the first day of a hearing into whether Parliament's consent is required before the Brexit process can begin Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Attorney General Jeremy Wright arrives at the Supreme Court in London EPA Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Protesters outside the Supreme Court in London, where the Government is appealing against a ruling that the Prime Minister must seek MPs' approval to trigger the process of taking Britain out of the European Union PA wire Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A protesters wearing a judge's wigs and robes stands outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A protester holds up a placard outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters Supreme Court Brexit Challenge Pro-Europe protestors dressed as Supreme Court Justices stand outside the Supreme Court Getty Supreme Court Brexit Challenge A man waiting to enter the public gallery waves a European Union flag outside the Supreme Court ahead of the challenge against a court ruling that Theresa May's government requires parliamentary approval to start the process of leaving the European Union, in Parliament Square, central London Reuters

The legislation, which has just two clauses including the description of its short title, is "straightforward", the Department for Exiting the European Union said.

Brexit Secretary David Davis said: "The British people have made the decision to leave the EU and this Government is determined to get on with the job of delivering it.

"So today we have introduced a Bill in Parliament which will allow us to formally trigger Article 50 by the end of March.