Starmer: Brexit bill difficult for Labour

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said the result of the EU exit referendum was not "merely a consultation exercise".

Although Labour was "fiercely internationalist", the party was "above all" made up of "democrats", he adds, during the Commons debate on Article 50, so must follow the result of the referendum.

Delivering a sombre-sounding speech at the start of two days of debate on the Brexit bill, he said he wished the result "had gone the other way", but the prime minister "should not be blocked" from getting negotiations with the EU under way.