Brexit legal challenge live: MPs don't actually want to vote on Article 50, government lawyer claims
The appeal against MPs voting on Article 50 is now in its second day
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Your support makes all the difference.Here are the latest updates:
- Theresa May performs U-turn and now will reveal Brexit plans before Article 50 vote
- Government rejected an opportunity to make EU referendum legally binding, lawyer claims
- MPs don't actually want to vote on Article 50, government lawyer claims
- Judges accuse the Government's lawyer of contradicting himself "twice in five minutes"
- Amber Rudd reveals EU citizens living in Britain will need identity cards after Brexit
- EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier says Brexit deal could be reached by October 2018
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The Supreme Court is today hearing the second day of arguments in the Brexit legal challenge.
11 of the most senior judges in the UK are hearing the government's appeal to a High Court ruling that Theresa May must let MPs vote on whether to trigger Article 50.
Yesterday, the court heard from government lawyer James Eadie QC and Attorney General Jeremy Wright. The lawyers argued the Prime Minister has authority to trigger the mechanism and begin EU withdrawal processes.
However, the judges questioned why more details haven't been provided about what will be in the Great Repeal Bill, the legislation through which the government intends to legislate for life outside the EU.
The judges also said serious threats have been made to claimants in the case and warned they must be stopped.
The case is expected to last four days in total, ending on Thursday.
"Constitutional change is [for] the political, accountable actors in it" i.e. politicians not judges
John Larkin QC rests his case for the government about Northern Ireland
And now the arguments against the Government will be heard. Beginning with Lord Pannick, representing Gina Miller
This is where things will get really interesting and we should have a flavour within the course of the next hour or so who may win the case
Lord Pannick will of course be arguing that the High Court made the right decision and MPs must get to vote on Article 50
He says the Government is wrong on 7 counts and he will now talk us through each of the 7 ways
"It would be quite extraordinary if the 1972 Act could be set at nought by a minister acting without parliamentary authority" Lord Pannick
"Parliament clearly intended ministers should not have these powers [to trigger Article 50" Lord Pannick
"Parliament had imposed a clear system on parliamentary control on changes to the treaties" Lord Pannick
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