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.
In my opinion, the most compelling argument the Govt is making is that it would 'lose foreign policy controls' if High Court ruling upheld
By making foreign relations almost impossible, as parliament would need to vote on international activities very often
Yet, while that is a politically compelling argument, the judges will solely be considering the legality of it, which is less certain
By insisting Northern Ireland & Scotland have little say in this, the govt risks bringing long term damage to relationships in devolution
In order to win, the govt needs to argue Theresa May can do whatever she wants, but this risks fuelling desire for independence regionally
So it's a case of short term gain while risking long term harm and potential instability to the union
Tomorrow, we'll be hearing arguments against the government from various lawyers in the case between 10:30am and 4pm, arguing MPs must vote
Which the government's lawyers will then have the opportunity to address on Thursday, before the case closes
So the Government's lawyers could still put forward a convincing case, but in my opinion it's not happened yet
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