THE passing of the Brexit bill through Parliament will allow ministers to reach the next crucial stage of trade negotiations, says a local MP.

Robin Walker, MP for Worcester and a minister at the Brexit department in Whitehall, welcomed news a vote on an amendment to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill had passed 319 to 303 on Wednesday.

The bill passed after would-be Tory rebel MPs were given assurances they would have a meaningful say on the final Brexit deal.

Peers later accepted the amendment, meaning the bill now goes for Royal Assent, when it will become law.

Mr Walker said: “The debate was about it being a meaningful vote at the end of the process. Parliament will have the option to look at the final deal, and will either support it, or say no we will leave without a deal.

“No one wants that (no deal). We want the right deal, the best deal.

“The legal uncertainty has been removed now. It was important to show the EU we are really leaving.”

Asked why both sides were claiming victory on whether it was a real, meaningful vote, the MP said: “It comes down to a matter of interpretation.”

Since the vote, there have also been calls for Commons reform after sick Labour MP Naz Shah had to enter the lobbies in a wheelchair to cast her vote.

Traditionally, unwell MPs are able to be “nodded through” by whips if they make it onto the Parliamentary estate, but this convention appeared to be not followed for this vote.

Mr Walker said: “It is a legitimate debate. I have heard the talk of proxy voting - there is a risk of a slippery slope with that. It is important MPs attend, engage in the debate and then vote.

“Most of the time the pairing system (when an opposing MP abstains from voting, to cancel out the vote of the absent MP) works. But clearly the Brexit vote was an emotive issue - it was a crunch vote.”