Theresa May under pressure from backbenches to give MPs greater say on Brexit

High-profile Tory Europhiles issued fresh calls for a White Paper on the strategy, arguing that the Prime Minister must allow democratic debate.

While Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn mocked the “irony” of a Government fighting for a return of Parliamentary sovereignty – while effectively “sidelining Parliament”.

The grumblings from Conservative remainers came during the first PMQs since Mrs May set out her 12 negotiating priorities in a speech to EU diplomats on Tuesday.

Many on the Prime Minister’s own side lined up to praise their leader’s strategy, including her pledge to take the UK out of the Single Market in order to regain control over immigration and international trade deals.

This initially included Ms Soubry, who said it was “clear” from Mrs May’s speech that she is looking to forge a “Brexit consensus”.

However, the high-profile Remain campaigner went on to push the Prime Minister to commit to publishing a White Paper that would allow for greater scrutiny of her plans.

“It was quite clear from the Prime Minister’s speech yesterday that she seeks... to bring our country back together, and I thanks her for that,” she said.

“To that end... would she please consider at least publishing all those 12 objectives in a white paper so that we can debate them in this place on behalf of all our constituents.”

The Broxtowe MP was not alone in expressing concern about the lack of consultation with Parliament.

The Tory grandee and former Lord Chancellor Kenneth Clark pressed Mrs May to confirm whether or not MPs will have any opportunity to debate or vote on Brexit policy before negotiations are expected to conclude in 2019.

He pointed out: “The Prime Minister did yesterday confirm her commitment to Parliamentary democracy and she therefore I assume accepts the long-standing convention that the executive... is continuously accountable to this house for the policies that it is pursuing.

“Could she therefore clarify whether or not she intends to make any further statements of policy intentions to this House, and whether she anticipates this house having an opportunity to vote its approval for those policies earlier than two years away.”

Quoting Mrs May’s speech back at her, Jeremy Corbyn accused the Prime Minister of “sidelining Parliament” at the very same time as claiming the referendum was “a vote to restore…our Parliamentary democracy”.

“This is about our jobs, living standards and future prosperity; why will it not be scrutinised by this House,” he asked.

Responding to Ms Soubry, Mrs May said the Government “will ensure that at appropriate times both the public and Parliament ... are able to consider and properly scrutinise these issues”.

But in reply to Mr Clarke, she said suggested that unless next week’s Supreme Court ruling calls for a vote on Article 50, MPs would only get a vote on the final Brexit deal.