Jeremy Corbyn widely mocked for tweeting 'real fight starts now' after voting for Brexit Bill

Scottish First Minster Nicola Sturgeon brands Labour leader 'pathetic'

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn imposed a three-line whip to force his MPs to vote for the bill (PA)

Jeremy Corbyn has been widely mocked for tweeting to say the "real fight starts now" after MPs overwhelmingly backed Theresa May's proposal to start Brexit talks.

Mr Corbyn also faced the resignation of key ally Clive Lewis, who quit the shadow Cabinet in order to vote against Article 50.

A total of 52 Labour MPs defied the Labour leader's three line whip to vote against the bill.

MPs backed the prime minister by 494 votes to 122, rejecting nine attempted amendments including one to guarantee the future rights of EU nationals.

"Real fight starts now," Mr Corbyn tweeted. "Over next two years Labour will use every opportunity to ensure Brexit protects jobs, living standards & the economy."

His rallying cry was swiftly mocked on Twitter.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called Mr Corbyn "pathetic".

"How?" she asked in a reply to his tweet. "You've just handed the Tories a blank cheque.

"You didn't win a single concession but still voted for the Bill. Pathetic."

Others responded with fury:

Others shared GIFs and memes in response to his tweet.

MPs rejected no fewer than nine attempted amendments to the bill, including one to guarantee the future rights of EU nationals.

The vote puts Ms May on course to trigger Article 50 by her target deadline of early March.