TWO Southampton MPs cast their votes on changes to the historic Brexit bill. 

Southampton Test MP Alan Whitehead and Southampton Itchen MP Royston Smith had their say in whether the rights of EU citizens currently residing in the UK should be protected, and whether parliament should have a 'meaningful vote' after Brexit talks. 

Labour MP Mr Whitehead voted to keep the two amendments, while Conservative MP Mr Smith voted to delete them.

The amendments had been handed back to the Commons after peers in the House of Lords voted to keep them on the bill. 

Mr Whitehead said he believes them to be “sensible, honest and reasonable amendments.”

He said: “I voted for both the amendments - for the status of EU citizens to be confirmed and for parliament to have a say in the deal.

“I think they are an essential part of going forward and to ensure we have a structure to what it is we are negotiating. “

The Labour MP added that otherwise “we are leaving the government to do exactly what it feels like with the negotiations,” and “we often vote in the Commons for things we know we are going to lose on - you do so because it's what you think is the right thing to do.”

However Southampton Itchen MP Royston Smith voted against the amendments, saying the Lords now have “every right” to send legislation back to the Commons to ask MPs to reconsider - again.

He said: “Tonight I joined the majority of MPs in voting to do as the British public instructed in June last year.

“I am confident the Lords will now do the right thing and the PM can get on and trigger Article 50 by the end of March.

“Assuming that is the case the PM will then quickly be able to ask the remaining members of the EU to guarantee the rights and privileges of British Citizens living in EU countries and the rights of EU Citizens living here."

The amendment on the rights of EU citizens in the UK was voted down in the Commons by 335 to 287, with a majority of 48.

The amendment for parliament to have a ‘meaningful vote’ at the end of Brexit talks was voted down by 331 to 286, with a majority of 45.

The vote means that Theresa May could now invoke article 50 on March 14.

However she is expected to wait until the end of the month.

It comes on the same day as Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced the decision to run a second Scottish referendum.