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
Please wait a moment for the live blog to load:
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.
Breaking- while we've been in court, Theresa May has U-turned and now WILL reveal Brexit plans before Article 50 independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…
Pannick is making this point: http://pbs.twimg.com/media/CzAXj5RWEAApXpU.jpg
The judges, and our live coverage, will be back from 10:30am tomorrow when Lord Pannick QC will continue making arguments against government
Now that we're at the half way mark of the Brexit legal challenge (2 days down out of 4), a few observations...
We've now seen the Government's main arguments and, like last time, the crux seems to be the 2015 Referendum Act being so poorly worded...
...and lack of codified constitution resulting in such uncertainty that there's no guidance for Brexit and Theresa May can do what she wants
That wasn't enough to convince the court last time, and so may not be enough now too
There had been speculation the govt would argue Article 50 was not irreversible- which would help their case that citizens don't lose...
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