#Brexit strategy to be revealed by UK government

The government's strategy for Brexit will face scrutiny from politicians and the public for the first time when a White Paper is published later.

The paper, which comes after MPs voted to allow the PM to begin the Brexit process, will outline Downing Street's negotiating aims for leaving the EU.

MPs backed the European Union Bill by 498 votes to 114 on Wednesday night.

The bill will now face more debate before it can become law, with Labour vowing to force through amendments.

MPs will discuss the bill in more detail next week when it reaches the committee stage in the Commons.

Hundreds of amendments have already been tabled for debate between Monday and Wednesday, with objectives set out in the government's strategy expected to attract more.

The bill was published last week, after the Supreme Court decided MPs and peers must have a say before Article 50 could be triggered.

It rejected the government's argument that Mrs May had sufficient powers to trigger Brexit without consulting Parliament.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said "the battle of the week ahead" was to shape negotiations "to put jobs, living standards and accountability centre stage".

"Labour's amendments are the real agenda," he said.

"The challenge is for MPs of all parties to ensure the best deal for Britain, and that doesn't mean giving Theresa May a free hand to turn Britain into a bargain-basement tax haven."

Corbyn had imposed a three-line whip - the strongest sanction at his disposal - on his MPs to vote in favour of the government's Brexit bill.

However, 47 Labour MPs defied the whip, while shadow cabinet members Rachael Maskell and Dawn Butler quit the party's front bench shortly before the vote. Jo Stevens had resigned last week.

In total, 13 Labour frontbenchers voted against their own party position.

A Conservative Party spokesman said the rebellion showed: "Labour can't speak for themselves, let alone speak for the country."

The SNP, Plaid Cymru and the Liberal Democrats all opposed the government's bill, alongside Tory Ken Clarke.