On the eve of Labour’s opposition day debate, the government have finally accepted the need for proper parliamentary scrutiny of their plans for Brexit.

On Monday David Davis maintained that no further steps were needed to ensure parliament could scrutinise the Brexit process, but facing the prospect of a Commons defeat, the Government have now accepted Labour’s motion which calls for a “full and transparent debate on the government’s plans to leave the EU” and for there to be “proper scrutiny” of those plans in Parliament before Article 50 is triggered.

Keir Starmer, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Exiting the EU said:

“This is a real victory for Parliament and will help ensure there is proper democratic grip of the Brexit process.

“There is no more important issue facing Britain than the terms of our departure from the EU. But we are now four months on from the referendum and the Government have still not told the British people or Parliament what type of deal they want to negotiate.

“Labour have argued that Parliament must have a say on the basic terms of the Brexit negotiations before Article 50 is triggered – not to frustrate the referendum result, but to ensure that there is rigour and accountability on this vital issue.

“The Government’s eleventh hour concession on that point is overdue, but greatly welcome. Labour will make sure over the coming months that the Government stick to their words, and that there is proper scrutiny and transparency of their plans for Brexit.

“Now the challenge for the Government is to answer the detailed questions that Labour has put to them about Britain’s future relationship with Europe and the expected impact of Brexit, and to show ?that they actually have a coherent plan, agreed across the government, before they embark on the Article 50 process.”