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.
Large part of the Supreme Court case is being dedicated to looking at how badly worded the 2015 Referendum Act was
Both the government and the claimants agree it was terribly drafted and vague. But both say it goes in their favour
Claimants say the Act didn't clearly say it was legally binding and so it wasn't
Government says the Act didn't say who got enact Brexit, so there's nothing to stop Theresa May doing what she wants
One does have to question what David Cameron was thinking when he drew up the Referendum Act in 2015
There has been speculation that Govt thought Brexit was so unlikely, 2015 Referendum Act was written on the basis it wouldn't happen
"The so called Great Repeal Bill does not assist the govt. No such bill exists at present" Lord Pannick
Lord Pannick QC has concluded his case against the government on behalf of Gina Miller
Next up is Dominic Chambers QC who is representing Deir Dos Santos, also arguing against the Government
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