Several Tories also urge Theresa May to drop exit date plan as MPs begin marathon Brexit scrutiny.

A lot of the shops have got their Christmas displays up already, inducing thoughts of "do I have to take part in the office secret Santa AGAIN". But spare a thought for the government which has only got eight shopping days left to get MPs onside with one of the most complex bits of legislation around: the EU Withdrawal Bill.

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Another division follows, on whether clause one should stand part of the bill.

This clause would repeal the European Communities Act 1972 on the day the UK leaves the EU.

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MPs vote 318 to 52 to reject an amendment in the name of Plaid Cymru's Hywel Williams, which seeks to make the repeal of the European Communities Act subject to consent by the devolved legislatures.

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MPs are now voting on an amendment in the name of Plaid Cymru's Hywel Williams, which seeks to make the repeal of the European Communities Act subject to consent by the devolved legislatures.

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Exiting the EU Minister Robin Walker says Plaid's amendment "goes against the grain of our constitutional settlement".

Nevertheless, Plaid Cymry MP Hywel Williams pushes the matter to a vote.

Frank Field, meanwhile, announces that he would withdraw his amendment to specify a Brexit date of 30 March 2019.

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Tom Brake, the Liberal Democrats' Brexit spokesman, says his party will be opposing Frank Field's amendment to set a Brexit date of 30 March 2019.

He claims that any slight delay in lorries passing through the port of Dover "will lock that port down" - and "members who think that no deal is a happy, easy option" should consider that.

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Tory MP Bernard Jenkin says opponents of Brexit think that "it's a horrible cruel world out there and you can't survive outside the European Union".

He tells the House: "It's not true. Most countries are outside the European Union and they're fine."

He argues that the effect of EU membership has been "to take away the right of this House to make laws on behalf of this country" and tells MPs: "This House cannot veto Brexit."

Mr Jenkin goes on to argue that any MP who voted to trigger Article 50 earlier this year "really is obliged to support" the government's amendment setting a Brexit date and, if they do not, they are "open to the charge that they do not actually want us to leave the European Union".

Conservative MP Anna Soubry - who has opposing views on the EU and has been trying repeatedly to intervene - says: "You're a disgrace, Bernard."

• It’s been nine weeks since the second reading debate in the Commons
• The bill as produced is 62 pages long
• The amendments document is 191 pages long
• There are 368 tabled amendments and 75 new clauses
• The amendment with the most signatures is Amendment 300 – signed by 63 MPs and headed by Ed Vaizey
• There are 13 Amendments with enough Conservative rebels to upset the government (assuming everyone else votes along party lines)

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"We take back control by the passage of this very important piece of legislation," says Brexit-supporting Conservative MP John Redwood, employing a slogan used by the Leave campaign.

He says he hopes the UK will reach a deal with the EU but adds: "Some of us know, if there is no agreement, it will be fine."

The UK can trade under World Trade Organisation rules and will have time to put in place the necessary measures to do so, he argues.

"We shouldn't still be disputing whether we are leaving or not," Mr Redwood adds.

"The House voted overwhelmingly to send in our notice."

Veteran Tory Ken Clarke is applauded by pro-EU MPs after his speech in the Brexit bill debate.

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Plaid Cymru's Hywel Williams has proposed an amendment to require the consent of the devolved legislatures for the bill.

Conservative MP Paul Masterton asks what Mr Williams would do in the case of Northern Ireland, which is without its power-sharing executive.

Mr Williams suggests that the decision could be taken by the elected Northern Ireland Assembly.

The independent MP for North Down, Sylvia Hermon, says that the Assembly is not currently sitting and, if it were re-established, a majority of its members oppose Brexit.

"This bill... is going nowhere without the legislative consent of Northern Ireland, and it won't be forthcoming," she says.

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MP Hywel Williams speaks in support of Plaid Cymru's amendment requiring the UK government to gain the consent of the devolved parliaments and assemblies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

He accuses the UK government of proceeding "without considering" how Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should be consulted, or addressing "the elephant in the room: explaining precisely who speaks for England".

Mr Williams says the Scottish and Welsh governments have described the UK government's position as "a naked power gab", adding: "The bill as it stands would be rejected by the respective devolved governments."

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Dominic Grieve says a government amendment to set the date of the UK's departure from the EU would "fetter the government's own ability to carry out this negotiation, which makes me seriously question the government's competence".

He says those calling for Brexit without a deal with the EU are "utterly misguided, do not understand how a parliamentary democracy works [and] do not understand how an international community works".

Mr Grieve says he will vote against the government's amendment, which is not due to be voted on today, and "no arm-twisting" will persuade him otherwise.

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Conservative MP Dominic Grieve says Labour MP Frank Field's amendment to set a Brexit date is in line with what many people "want for our country" - but also contains "simplicities" which do not take into account the difficulties of actually leaving the EU.

The former attorney general says he still believes the vote to leave the EU was a "great and historic error" but acknowledges the referendum result.

He says he regards the Brexit process - and the bill - as "an extraordinarily painful process of national self-mutilation, which I am obliged to facilitate".

Mr Grieve says Mr Field represents people who want "to go to bed at night and wake up and find the whole thing is over and done with but unfortunately, it's not going to be over and done with for a long time".

He adds: "Leaving the EU requires statutory authority from this House to make it part of the law of our land."

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Image source, HoC

Labour's Yvette Cooper introduces her amendment which seeks to ensure a vote on terms of withdrawal through primary legislation before Brexit day.

It would "strengthen the democratic process", she says, arguing it's less to do with a specific date than avoiding being "inadvertently timed out" if negotiations don't go according to plan.

Otherwise, she tells the House, "ministers could let us drift towards Brexit day without us being able to insist on any implementation preparations".

Her amendment would "link the timing of Brexit to the terms of Brexit", she says.