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.
The case will begin today at 11am, with Government lawyers outlining their arguments that Theresa May can trigger Article 50 without MPs
We're expecting the case will last four full days, ending late on Thursday afternoon
I'll be here every day for The Independent, with live updates from inside Supreme Court- on Twitter & our live blog independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…
I'll also be tracking the amount of time men spend talking during the Supreme Court appeal, compared to women, to see where the balance lies
Of the Supreme Court judges hearing the Brexit legal challenge today:91% are male82% are privately educated82% are Oxbridge graduates
Proceedings have begun. Lord Neuberger, President of the Supreme Court, begins by warning that people in the case have been threatened...
"Various individuals have received threats of serious violence and unpleasant abuse in emails and other electronic communications"
"Threatening and abusing people because they are exercising their fundamental right to go to court undermines the rule of law"
Attorney General Jeremy Wright QC now addressing the court. Says he "respectfully" feels High Court judges were "wrong" to rule against govt
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