Atkins: '˜I will vote '¨to trigger Article 50'

Last week, the High Court ruled that the Government cannot rely on the Royal Prerogative to trigger Article 50 of the EU Treaty to start the process of leaving the EU.

Instead, the High Court ruled that the government must seek the votes of Parliament to trigger Article 50.

Ms Atkins said that if the question is put to MPs, she will vote to trigger Article 50.

Ms Atkins’ decision is in-keeping with the views of her constituents, as 70.7 per cent of East Lindsey voters chose to leave the EU when they voted in the referendum on June 23.

Overall, the national vote was narrowly in favour of leaving the EU, with 51.9 per cent backing ‘Brexit’.

Ms Atkins, who was a ‘Remain’ campaigner in the run-up to the referendum, said: “The Government is mounting an appeal against the High Court’s judgment.

“The Prime Minister is determined to stick to the timetable she set at Conservative Party Conference.

“If I am called upon to vote on the issue of whether to trigger Article 50, I will vote to trigger it.”

The Government has mounted an appeal against the High Court ruling, and the Supreme Court is expected to hear the appeal next month.

Ms Atkins’ comments came just days after Stephen Phillips, the pro-Brexit Tory MP for the neighbouring constituency of Sleaford and North Hykeham, stood down as an MP last Friday due to ‘irreconcilable policy differences with the current Government’ following its handling of last week’s High Court decision.