- Title: UK Supreme Court says PM May must get parliament approval to trigger Brexit
- Date: 24th January 2017
- Summary: POLICE OFFICERS
- Embargoed: 7th February 2017 09:56
- Keywords: Article 50 Supreme Court Brexit parliament European Union Gina Miller
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
- Reuters ID: LVA00360FX6X3
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The UK Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday (January 24) that Prime Minister Theresa May must get parliament's approval before she begins Britain's formal exit from the European Union.
The UK's highest judicial body dismissed the government's argument that May could simply use executive powers known as "royal prerogative" to invoke Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty and begin two years of divorce talks.
However, the court rejected arguments that the UK's devolved assemblies in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales should give their assent before Article 50 is invoked.
"Today, by a majority of eight to three, the Supreme Court rules that the government can not trigger Article 50 without an Act of Parliament authorising it to do so," said David Neuberger, President of the Supreme Court.
May has repeatedly said she would trigger Article 50 before the end of March but she will now have to seek the consent of lawmakers first, potentially meaning her plans could be amended or delayed, although the main opposition Labour Party has said it would not slow her timetable.
Last week May set out her stall for negotiations, promising a clean break with the world's largest trading block as part of a 12-point plan to focus on global free trade deals, setting out a course for a so-called "hard Brexit". - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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