Brexit legal challenge: 'A six year old child could see flaws in Government's Brexit plans', Supreme Court told
Fourth and final day of the Supreme Court Brexit legal challenge has been heard and the judges have now retired to consider their decision
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Your support makes all the difference.The Government's Brexit plans are so flawed "even a six year old child could see it", the Supreme Court has been told.
The claims were made by Richard Gordon QC, Law Officer of the Welsh Government, who told the court Welsh politicians should be allowed to approve plans to trigger Article 50.
The Supreme Court was hearing final arguments in the Brexit legal challenge as the case entered its fourth and final day.
Opponents to the Government's Brexit plans outlined their case; with representatives of Wales, Scotland, ex-pats and children's rights putting their case to judges.
The Government's lawyers then had their final opportunity to refute the claims and make their case that Theresa May has sufficient authority to trigger Article 50 without a vote from MPs. The argued the 2015 Referendum Act which outlined the terms of the EU referendum did not specify who could trigger Article 50.
Latest updates:
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- Labour hit by backbench revolt over Article 50 Tory 'trap' fears
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- Scotland and Northern Ireland must approve Article 50, Supreme Court told
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All 11 of the Supreme Court justices, who are the most senior judges in the UK, heard the case and have now retired to reach their decision.
A judgment is expected to be announced early in the new year.
A few further thoughts from me on Northern Ireland and Article 50...
It would be extremely interesting to see if a petition of concern could apply here in Northern Ireland- it's a mechanism of power sharing...
... which enables parties to completely block Assembly from doing certain things. Few other parliaments have anything like it.
It was designed to protect minority communities from damaging majority rule but has been used recently to block marriage equality by DUP
I think most people in NI would acknowledge its not been fit for purpose for a while, but it has remained
Would be interesting if possibility of petition of concern at Stormont blocking Brexit would finally 'inspire' Conservatives to address this
Long term could improve things in Northern Ireland, where people are still fighting for marriage equality which is blocked by this mechanism
However, as always in NI, any heavy handed or paternalistic involvement of British govt in local affairs will be extremely contentious
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