Shadow Minister Tulip Siddiq resigns from Jeremy Corbyn’s front bench after he said he would force MPs to vote to triggering Article 50 with a three-line whip

JUNIOR Shadow Minister Tulip Siddiq has resigned from Jeremy Corbyn's front bench after the arch-leftie said he would force MPs to vote in favour of triggering Article 50 with a three-line whip.

The news comes as Labour tabled a number of amendments to the Government's Article 50 Bill, including demanding a Commons vote on any deal BEFORE the European Union.

Speaking with a “heavy heart”, she said: “I feel that the most effective place for me to counter Teresa May’s (sic) hard Brexit is from the backbenches.”

And sources claimed at least two more Shadow Ministers could resign over Mr Corbyn’s decision to impose a ‘three-line whip’ on the party.

This orders all MPs to back the Government when the bill is debated in the House over two days next week.

In her resignation letter to Mr Corbyn, she said that "leaving the European Union presents enormous uncertainty to my constituents," and that most people believed that "the disadvantages of leaving outweigh any potential benefits".

She added concerns over the status of current EU citizens living in the UK, and worried over employment rights and environmental policies.

"I do not represent Westminster in Hampstead and Kilburn, I represent Hampstead and Kilburn in Westminster," she said.

The Labour leader added to the confusion in his ranks last night by tabling five changes he would like to see to the ‘Brexit Bill’ when amendments are voted on the following week.

"No one voted to give Theresa May a free hand over our future," he added.

But sources claimed Mr Corbyn would still not want his MPs to “frustrate” Britain’s EU departure if these proved unsuccessful.

Shadow Brexit Secretary Kier Starmer said: “The Article 50 bill will be the start, not the end of the Brexit process.

“And Labour will hold the Government to account all the way.”

The six amendments were:

• The House of Commons should have the first say on any proposed deal and the consent of Parliament would be requwired before the deal is referred to the European Council and Parliament
• A deal that protects workers' rights and secures tarriff-free access to the Single Market
• Reports from the Brexit Secretary to the House of Commons at least every two months on the progress of the deal
• Regular consultation with the governments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland throughout the negotiations
• Publishing impact assessments on the effects of a deal
• Ensuring the Government seeks to retain all tax avoidance and evasion measures post-Brexit

Mr Corbyn told Sky News at lunchtime that it was a "clear decision" for MPs to back Brexit.

He said: "It will be a clear decision, that we want all of our MPs to support the Article 50 vote when it comes up next week.

"It's clearly a 3 line whip. It is a vote on Article 50."

The Labour leader said the party would be putting out a statement to all members today clarifying the position.

He added: "I fully understand the pressures and issues that members are under... those who represent leave constituencies, and those who represent remain constituencies.

"Labour is in the almost unique position of having MPs representing constituencies in both directions and very strongly in both directions."

He asked MPs to unite around the issues of jobs and security, and NOT to vote to block Brexit.

Mr Corbyn said: "I say to everyone... unite around the important issues of jobs, security, rights, justice, those issues, and we will frame that relationship with Europe in the future, outside the EU, but in concept with friends, whether we are inside or outside the EU.

"I am asking all our MPs not to block Article 50 and make sure it goes through this week."

Other frontbenchers have also said they intended to vote against triggering Article 50.

This afternoon Shadow Business Secretary Clive Lewis said he would vote with his party at a second reading - despite comments last week that triggering Article 50 wouldn't be good for his constituency.

He said he respected the result of the referendum, but stressed that he would put forward amendments to stop the PM from using Brexit to "trash our rights".

A three-line whip normally applies to major events and very significant bills. Defying this would mean Mr Corbyn would be forced to fire his Shadow Cabinet for not backing him – or they would stand down beforehand.

Shadow Education Minister Rushanara Ali resigned under Ed Miliband’s leadership after abstaining on a vote on military action in Iraq.

Shadow Brexit minister Jenny Chapman has previously said Labour MPs were stuck in a “very difficult position” as the party has “supporters, members, voters, on both sides of this debate”.

She added that it would be “a big ask” to get them to vote to trigger Article 50, and “very difficult for colleagues who have seats that voted strongly to Remain”.