Boris Johnson’s bid to effectively tear up parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol has cleared its first Commons hurdle, amid Tory warnings the plans are illegal.

MPs voted 295 to 221, majority 74, to give the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill a second reading, which clears the way for it to undergo detailed scrutiny in the coming weeks.

The Prime Minister claimed the proposed legislation, which gives ministers powers to override parts of the post-Brexit deal on Northern Ireland, could be carried out “fairly rapidly”, with the proposals in law by the end of the year.

But his predecessor in No 10, Theresa May, led the criticism from the Tory benches as she delivered a withering assessment of the legality and impact of the Bill.

Mrs May made clear she would not support the legislation and warned it will “diminish” the UK’s global standing.

Other Tory MPs joined Mrs May in expressing concern, although they opted against seeking to block the Bill at second reading and instead appear likely to seek amendments.

The House of Lords is also expected to contest parts of the Bill, setting up a lengthy showdown between the two Houses.

Mr Johnson’s Government has said the measures to remove checks on goods and animal and plant products travelling from Great Britain to Northern Ireland are necessary to safeguard the Good Friday Agreement and peace and stability.

Asked if the measures could be in place this year, Mr Johnson said: “Yes, I think we could do it very fast, Parliament willing.”

He said it would be “even better” if we could “get some of that flexibility we need in our conversations with Maros Sefcovic”, the European Commission vice-president.

The Prime Minister added: “We remain optimistic.”

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss attempted to downplay concerns of MPs by saying the Bill has a “strong legal justification” and the UK remains committed to seeking a negotiated solution.

Unionist opposition to the imposition of checks has seen the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) refuse to return to the powersharing Executive at Stormont, leaving the region without a functioning government.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson acknowledged the Bill is not perfect but said: “It empowers ministers to make change where change is necessary to ensure the proper functioning of the UK internal market.”

Sir Jeffrey, ahead of the debate, also warned the Lords that blocking the legislation would be akin to “wrecking the Good Friday Agreement”.

Alliance MP Stephen Farry said: “This is an extremely bad Bill, it’s unwanted, unnecessary and, indeed, it’s dangerous.”

Locally Fermanagh South Tyrone MLA Jemma Dolan said: "The Protocol is working. Businesses are using the unique access to the EU and British markets to create jobs and attract investment.

"The Protocol is necessary. It protects us from the hard Brexit the DUP and Tories championed. It gives the north unique access to both the EU and British markets. There is no cost to us being inside the single market, but enormous costs if we are not.”

She continued: “Workers and families in the north are struggling with rising living costs and especially now that Diesel is over £2 per litre [in parts of Northern Ireland.] We need an Executive now. One that is focused on tackling the cost of living crisis.

"There is money waiting to be spent on the crisis. Over £400 million pounds in fact.Money that can't be spent because the DUP are blocking an Executive being formed.”

Concluding, Miss Dolan said: “Sinn Féin are ready to get in there and work. The Alliance party, the UUP and the SDLP are ready to get in there and work. The DUP are not ready to get into an Executive to work and the British government must stop giving them cover to block an Executive being formed."

A Number 10 spokesman said on Monday that the Government had never put a “hard target date” on when it would hope to see the Bill enacted.