Theresa May wants to trigger Brexit talks on 9 March – the same day EU leaders meet in Brussels

The UK government is planning get its Article 50 bill through parliament by 7 March and trigger Brexit talks on 9 March, the House of Lords was informed on Monday (30 January).

"This is a sensible plan. The economy has proved stronger than the pessimistic forecasters predicted," Conservative MP Dominic Raab told IBTimes UK.

"The prime minister has set out a detailed and positive plan for Brexit, overwhelmingly backed by the public. Now, it's time to start the serious diplomacy, to deliver the best deal for Britain."

The draft legislation is required after May lost a landmark case at the Supreme Court.

The Article 50 bill is having its second reading in the House of Commons on Tuesday, with 19 Labour MPs tabling a so called "wrecking amendment" to the bill.

But despite fierce opposition from some pro-EU quarters in the Commons, the draft legislation is expected to go up to the House of Lords. Brexit Secretary David Davis urged MPs not to oppose the bill ahead of the debate.

"It is not a bill about whether or not the UK should leave the EU, or how it should do so," Davis said.

"It is simply about implementing a decision already made, a point of no return already passed. We asked the people of the UK if they wanted to leave the EU. They decided they did."

Jeremy Corbyn has promised not to block the UK's split from the EU. But the Labour leader has tabled numerous amendments to the government's bill, including an anti-tax haven one.

"We respect the will of the British people, but not the will of this Tory government to impose fewer rights at work and worse public services, while the largest corporations pay even less tax," he said.

"Labour will ensure that the British people, through parliament, have genuine accountability and oversight over the Brexit negotiations because no one voted to give Prime Minister Theresa May a free hand over our future."

However, Corbyn's authority risks being undermined by the vote. Already two shadow cabinet ministers — Tulip Siddiq and Jo Stevens — have quit his top team to oppose the Article 50 bill and other Labour MPs are expected to defy the left-winger's three-line-whip.

If May does trigger Brexit talks on 9 March it will coincide with a meeting of EU leaders in Brussels and come a day after Chancellor Philip Hammond's Budget on 8 March.

The prime minister, meanwhile, is planning to attend the informal meeting of EU leaders in Valletta, Malta on Friday (3 February).