SDLP leader Colum Eastwood has said he has placed his party on a "general election footing" amid the fall-out over the High Court ruling on Brexit.
The Foyle MLA also confirmed his party's MPs would vote against triggering Article 50 – the formal process of the UK beginning negotiations to leave the European Union.
It comes after London's High Court last week ruled that the British government cannot move ahead without Westminster support.
In Northern Ireland 56 per cent backed 'Remain' in June's historic referendum, but overall 52 per cent across the UK voted Leave.
Mr Eastwood said he was "putting the SDLP on a general election footing" due to the "chaos at the heart of Whitehall".
"If a general election is called, voters in the north will have a clear choice. We will unapologetically vote against the triggering of Article 50 whilst also seeking to gain special status for the north," he said.
"We will stand strong to shelter Northern Ireland from the political and economic calamity that a hard Brexit will inflict across the island of Ireland."
On Sunday DUP MP Nigel Dodds said his party would use its position to try to get a better deal for Northern Ireland from Brexit.
"I expect to see as a result of the negotiations a deal which is in the mutual interests of the Irish Republic, of the other member EU states, of the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland," he told the BBC.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féín has again insisted there will be no change to the party's abstentionist policy following speculation that its MPs could take their seats to vote against Brexit in any Commons vote.
A party spokesman said on Sunday night: "We will not be taking our seats."
