MPs voted to back the amendment- sought by former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, by 309 votes to 305 – a majority of four.

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The EU Withdrawal Bill is an integral part of the UK’s exit strategy. It aims to effectively end the supremacy of EU law and copy EU law into the UK statute book, so that the same rules and regulations apply post-Brexit.

Clause 9 of the bill gives ministers the power to implement Brexit, but with the amendment being passed, they will not be able to do so until Parliament gives them the green light via a new Act of Parliament.

Commenting on Wednesday night’s vote, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “This defeat is a humiliating loss of authority for the government on the eve of the European Council meeting.

“Labour has made the case since the referendum for a meaningful vote in parliament on the terms of Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union.

“Theresa May has resisted democratic accountability. Her refusal to listen means she will now have to accept parliament taking back control.

Sky’s Faisal Islam says there were 12 Tory rebels.

But it looks like Labour Brexiteers also made a difference: