May suffers defeat in Brexit bill

British Prime Minister Theresa May yesterday suffered a damaging parliamentary defeat over Brexit, after her own MPs rebelled to demand parliament have the final say on the divorce deal with Brussels.

Members of May's Conservative party joined with opposition lawmakers to inflict the government's first defeat over the flagship EU (Withdrawal) Bill, sparking huge cheers in the House of Commons.

Ministers had sought to buy off the rebels with a last-minute promise of a parliamentary vote on the separation agreement, but their leader, former attorney general Dominic Grieve, warned: "It's too late."

His amendment demanding a statutory vote on the deal before Britain leaves the EU in March 2019 was passed by 309 votes to 305.

The Brexit ministry said it was "disappointed".

"We will now determine whether further changes are needed to the bill to ensure it fulfils its vital purpose," the ministry said in a statement.

It is a blow to May on the eve of a crucial summit in Brussels, where EU leaders are expected to approve the terms of the interim Brexit deal agreed last week after months of tortuous negotiations.

Gina Miller, a leading pro-EU campaigner, reacted saying: "Parliamentary sovereignty wins the day!"

But Nigel Farage, a key driving force behind the Brexit campaign, said: "My contempt for career politicians knows no bounds".

The EU (Withdrawal) Bill is intended to formally end Britain's membership of the EU, as well as smooth its exit by transferring thousands of pieces of European legislation onto the UK statute books.

It also gives ministers powers to amend the laws as they move across, to address any technical glitches.