complex smart querty with spaces in lookup objects attribute name

[Arthur Vernon]

I am trying to create a variable with the following complex formula.

proceed = {{and(not(equals(technicalApproverGroup,"")), lookupObjects.Technical Approval Required)}}

In short, if there is no approver group assigned and technical approval is required, I want to bail out of the automation rule.

Elements of this in isolation work. For example I can create 

parta = {{lookupObjects.Technical Approval Required}}

partb = {{not(equals(technicalApproverGroup,""))}} 

proceed = {{and(parta, partb)}}

The element that is not working is "lookupObjects.Technical Approval Required" when specified In the in the first rule. The outcome is always false and no error message is reported. I have tried wrapping the Technical Approval Required in quotes, round brackets... nothing seems to work.

Question is, how can I get the first formula to work?