The Scottish Parliament votes by 90 to 34 to formally oppose the UK government starting the Brexit process.

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Owen Smith regrets that MPs won't have the chance to debate his own amendment calling for a referendum on the final deal.

The amendment, he says, was rejected because it would involve spending money.

He argues that a referendum would cost £100m whereas the bill being debated could result in the UK losing £45bn.

Amendments that are considered to have a cost attached have not been accepted because a money resolution has not been agreed for this bill.

A money resolution must be agreed if a new bill proposes spending public money.

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Labour's Owen Smith argues that the government's earlier announcement does not amount to "a substantive concession".

He says it leaves MPs with a choice between a "rock hard Brexit" or having to revert to WTO rules at a cost of £45bn.

Several MPs unhappy with the government's offer of a "take it or leave it" vote on the final Brexit deal have described it as "Hobson's choice".

According to Wikipedia, the phrase is said to have originated with Thomas Hobsom, a livery stable owner in the 16th Century who offered customers the choice of either taking the horse in his stall nearest the door or none at all.  

Lib Dem Brexit spokesman Nick Clegg has taken up the theme, saying MPs are being put in an "invidious" position of either having to accept either a "bad deal or no deal at all". 

Green Party co-leader Caroline Lucas says the offer is primarily designed to "quell unrest" on the Conservative backbenches.

Those, she adds, who are welcoming it as a concession are being "duped" and what the Commons is actually being presented with is an ultimatum.  

This from the BBC's political correspondent Carole Walker.

A source close to the Brexit Secretary David Davis has confirmed the government will not accept the amendments to the Article 50 bill to be voted on shortly - including a Labour one calling for any new treaty or trading arrangement to be agreed by Parliament before it is approved by the European Parliament and European Commission. 

He pointed to the government’s commitment to take through a short Bill to trigger Article 50 which the minister had said should go through unchanged.  

He said the clarification from the minister David Jones meant the opposition should withdraw the amendments. 

Sources are confident the government will win the vote.  

Conservative Nick Boles says he wants to "do my bit" for voters as Parliament decides on Article 50.

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Conservative MP Dominic Grieve says the key issue being debated is that "we have no idea what the political landscape is going to be here" in two years time, nor can we predict the shape of European politics, the economy or the security situation.

He says the idea that Parliament should abdicate responsibility completely is "simply not a view to which I am prepared to subscribe".

Parliament should "rule nothing out" he says, because "public opinion on this issue might change radically".

But, he says, as it stands the public is supportive of Brexit, so the process must be continued with.

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Conservative MP Sir Oliver Letwin responding to Tim Farron says that this section of the debate has made it clear "what is actually going on". He says some in the House are arguing that the Supreme Court ruling on the Article 50 notification means that, at some point, Parliament could override the referendum vote and cancel Brexit.

He says that the Lib Dem amendment is a "clear" determination to lay the groundwork for being able to do that.

He says others in the House agree but are not being so open about it. He says they "should not pretend" they're doing otherwise when arguing for more "Parliamentary scrutiny".

Sir Oliver was a minister until David Cameron left office; he campaigned for a remain vote but is now supportive of Brexit.

Image source, PA

As we reported earlier, the prime minister’s official spokesman has confirmed that Theresa May will visit China later this year. 

The spokesman said the trip would be an expression of the “close relationship” between the UK and China and that their discussions would include trade.

Hundreds of thousands of homes are needed to solve the housing crisis, so would filling empty properties solve the problem?

A 15% council tax rise initially approved by bosses at a Conservative-run council has been scrapped.

Plans for the hike were dropped during a full meeting of Surrey County Council earlier. A rise of almost 5% has now been approved.

The proposed increase would have added nearly £200 to a Band D bill and sparked a referendum which could have cost the authority up to £300,000.

Councillors will now consider an alternative budget. Their newly proposed 4.9% rise in council tax will not require public backing in a referendum. Read more

Prime Minister Theresa May will visit China later this year, the Press Association is reporting, quoting a Downing Street source.

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Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron is speaking to introduce an amendment that would force the government to outline a process for a referendum on the UK's future deal with the EU.

He says that those who advocated a leave vote offered "no vision of what out would look like". 

He contrasts this with the SNP's 678 page paper they offered at the Scottish independence referendum. Although he disagreed with independence, "at least the people of Scotland knew what they were voting for and what they were rejecting", he says.

His party is "arguing for a referendum on the terms of the deal", rather than a "second referendum" he says. 

The "only right and logical step is to allow the people to decide whether it is the right deal for them".

Image source, Getty Images

British ministers have met with their counterparts in the Overseas Territories to discuss the implications of Brexit.

Representatives of Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Falkland Islands, Montserrat, Pitcairn Islands, St Helena and Ascension Island, Tristan da Cunha and Turks and Caicos Islands gathered in London to discuss the implications of leaving the EU and the opportunities it presents.

Brexit minister Robin Walker said this was part of a process of regular and direct engagement with the islands. 

John Bercow becomes an unlikely hero with US celebrities including Seth MacFarlane and Perez Hilton.

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Conservative Sir Bill Cash argues that the amendments being debated today would give MPs a veto to override the decision of the referendum.

Conservative MP Claire Perry intervenes to say that "the whole point" of the House of Commons is to challenge things "we disagree with".

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Conservative Anna Soubry asks why fellow Tory John Redwood does not think that MPs should get a vote in the event that there is no deal on withdrawing from the EU.

John Redwood argues those MPs who were worried about leaving the EU should not have voted for this bill at second reading.

The second reading vote on the European Union Bill took place last Wednesday.

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Conservative Jacob Rees-Mogg makes his contribution to the debate on whether Article 50 is irrevocable.

"This is a supreme red herring," he says.

It doesn't matter what the European Court of Justice thinks, he argues. "The British people have determined that it is an irrevocable decision."