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by Josh May
24 January 2017
Government awaits Supreme Court verdict on Article 50

Government awaits Supreme Court verdict on Article 50

UK/EU - Picture credit: Daniel Leal-Olivas PA Wire/PA Images

The Supreme Court will today deliver its verdict on whether the Government needs to consult Parliament before triggering Article 50.

The ruling will come at 9.30 this morning, and will decide whether MPs and peers have a vote before the negotiations to leave the European Union begin.


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All 11 Supreme Court justices heard the four days of the case in December.

Ministers had argued they could invoke the clause by royal prerogative but the High Court ruled that Article 50 amounted to a change in law that could only be done via Parliament, leading to the Government’s appeal to the highest court in the UK.

The Supreme Court will also decide whether the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should be consulted before the process is begun.

Theresa May has pledged to trigger Article 50 by the end of March, and the Government has maintained that its timetable will not slip on the outcome of today’s case.

Ministers are expected to bring forward legislation this week if the Supreme Court verdict goes against them, with some speculation that it could be a single-clause bill.

Brexit Secretary David Davis is likely to respond to the court’s ruling in a parliamentary statement at lunchtime.

The Labour leadership has said it will not block the triggering of Article 50 – though dozens of its MPs are expected to vote against – but will instead try to pass amendments to safeguard its priorities for Brexit.

Liberal Democrats and SNP MPs will vote en masse against starting negotiations on Brexit. 

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