After 17 hours of fierce debate, Brexit has moved one step closer to becoming a reality as MPs voted for the first time on the issue.
Here are some of the highlights from the historic (though not all that surprising) night:
MPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Brexit bill
The European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill, as it’s officially called, was expected to easily clear its first Commons hurdle – and that it did.
MPs voted to back the Brexit bill and give it a second reading by 498 votes to 114 – a majority of 384.
Jeremy Corbyn was unable to contain the rebels
Two MPs – shadow environment secretary and York Central MP Rachael Maskell and shadow equalities minister and Brent Central MP Dawn Butler – both quit Corbyn’s top team so they could defy his orders and vote against triggering Article 50.
They were among a total of 47 Labour MP rebels who did so, while former chancellor Ken Clarke was the only Tory to join in with the resistance.
Corbyn will now have to decide how to deal with the rebellion of 10 Labour junior shadow ministers and three whips, who are supposed to enforce party discipline.
Conservative MP Chloe Smith brought her baby in for the announcement
History being made tonight, in small ways as well as big – Bercow tells MP with child "the little baby is welcome to come in" to the chamber
— Paris Gourtsoyannis (@thistlejohn) February 1, 2017
Speaker welcomes Chloe Smith to walk through the chamber to the lobby "don't be sheepish, your little baby is welcome to come in" #Article50
— Politico Daily (@Politico_Daily) February 1, 2017
I may not-so-secretly have a bit of a 'thing' for John Bercow. Watching him chatting to the MP's baby, has not helped in the slightest..
— Deplume.. ?? (@anon_deplume) February 1, 2017
And Speaker John Bercow earned a lot of fans for his approach to them both.
