Brexit vote: House of Commons votes in favour of Article 50 bill triggering UK's exit of the European Union

MPs have voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Government’s Brexit Bill in the House of Commons.

The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, which paves the way for the formal Brexit process to begin under Article 50, passed it’s first hurdle after being backed by the House in a vote on Wednesday evening.

The House voted in favour of the bill by 498 to 114 - a majority of 384.

But Jeremy Corbyn was unable to contain a revolt on his frontbench that saw two shadow cabinet ministers quit and 47 MPs vote against the Bill.

Shadow environment secretary and York Central MP Rachael Maskell and shadow equalities minister and Brent Central MP Dawn Butler both defied a three-line whip so they could vote in line with their heavily Remain-backing constituencies.

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

The Bill will be scrutinised in its committee stage from Monday to Wednesday next week - during which Labour is expected to try and add safeguards.

The party's amendments, which could command some support across the House, include moves to ensure MPs have the first vote on any proposed exit deal.

An attempt to guarantee legal rights for EU nationals already living in the UK, moves to protect workers’ rights and single market access, and calls for further scrutiny have all had some level of cross-party support in recent months.

The Liberal Democrats' main aim is to ensure a second referendum on the final deal achieved by Theresa May and they will vote against triggering Article 50 if they cannot achieve it.

The Scottish National Party, which is opposed to Brexit, is expected to table dozens of amendments.

The House voted against an SNP-wrecking amendment that would have stopped Theresa May triggering formal Brexit talks, by 336 votes to 100.

Remain-backers and ultra-Eurosceptics on the Tory backbenches could also attempt to change the Bill.

But with the majority of the Labour Party fundamentally supporting the triggering of Article 50 by April in line with the Prime Minister's timetable, she will be confident of getting the Bill through relatively unscathed.

Third reading, the Bill's final Commons stage, is also expected on Wednesday February 8, giving MPs final chance to say whether they approve of the Bill before it passes to the House of Lords, where the stages are repeated.

The Government could find life more tricky in the upper chamber, where the Bill will be introduced on February 20, because it does not have a majority.

Labour in the Lords has already said it will examine but not block the Government's Brexit plans, although some individual peers are likely to register their opposition.

But the Lib Dems, who are determined to guarantee of a fresh referendum on the final deal, have 102 peers compared to 253 Tories out of a total 805.

The Bill is expected to complete its passage through the Lords by Tuesday March 7 but if peers have made amendments, it will return to the Commons, where MPs will debate whether to keep the changes or get rid of them.