House of Lords vote against an amendment to Brexit Bill demanding the UK stays in European single market

THE Government has fought off the first challenge in the House of Lords against its plan to formally trigger Brexit negotiations.

Peers voted by 299 to 136 against an amendment to the Brexit Bill demanding the UK retains membership of the European single market.

Prime Minister Theresa May has pledged to trigger Article 50 by the end of March and hopes to complete a trade deal alongside the agreement on the divorce from the EU.

But John Major attacked May's Brexit strategy today as a bill to start the EU divorce also hit opposition in the House of Lords.

Former Conservative prime minister John Major said May's government was peddling an "over-optimistic" view of Brexit and said it was "time to stop" the criticism of those who disagreed with her plans.

The outspoken attack came as May prepares to start negotiations on leaving the European Union by the end of March, following the June referendum vote last year to quit the bloc.

Major warned that those who could least afford it would suffer from May's plan to take Britain out of Europe's single market, and said her government was not being honest.

"I have watched with growing concern as the British people have been led to expect a future that seems to be unreal and over-optimistic," Major told the Chatham House think tank.

He also chastised her approach to negotiations with other EU leaders, warning: "A little more charm, and a lot less cheap rhetoric, would do much to protect the UK's interests."

May cannot trigger Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty, starting a two-year countdown to the divorce, without parliamentary approval.

A short bill empowering her to start the negotiations cleared the House of Commons last month, but today members of the unelected upper House of Lords began debating changes that could cause a delay.

The first crunch vote could come on Wednesday on an amendment to guarantee the rights of more than three million Europeans currently living in Britain.

Another is expected next week on enshrining into law the government's promise to give parliament a vote on the final Brexit deal.