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As it happenedended

Brexit legal challenge live: British citizens will lose rights through EU withdrawal, Supreme Court told

A third day of arguments has been made in the Brexit Supreme Court appeal

Siobhan Fenton
London
Wednesday 07 December 2016 10:22 GMT
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Brexit at the supreme court: Day Three

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Gina Miller's legal representative has outlining the case against the Government in day three of the four day Supreme Court appeal on Brexit.

Lord Pannick QC represented Ms Miller and told the court Theresa May does not have sufficient authority to trigger Article 50 and instead the case must go to MPs.

Representing fello claimant Deir Dos Santos, a hairdresser born in Brazil, QC Dominic Chambers told the court only parliament has the power to take away British citizens' rights, which EU withdrawal would inevitably do.

The court was also told both Scotland and Northern Ireland must approve triggering Article 50 before the Government does so. A majority of people in Scotland (62 per cent) and Northern Ireland (56 per cent) voted to Remain.

The day before, while the court was sitting, Ms May announced during a visit to the Gulf that she will reveal her Brexit plans before triggering Article 50, in what appears to be a signifcant U-turn on her previous position.

Catch up on everything that happened in court today:

The Prime Minister has previously said she plans to trigger Article 50 by the end of this Spring.

If MPs are entitled to vote on Article 50, it could delay Brexit considerably or ensure it is a 'soft Brexit' rather than a 'hard Brexit' as politicians could insist protectionist clauses are inserted before EU withdrawal.

The Supreme Court case is expected to last four days.

A judgment is anticipated for early in the new year.

Our political editor @JoeWatts_ has this report on Barnier's comments independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…

Siobhan Fenton6 December 2016 11:41

Eadie takes SC to Turp case from Federal Court of Canada.

JolyonMaugham6 December 2016 11:43

(I will tweet out some extracts as Eadie refers to them. Here's the first.) http://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cy_YRxQXgAAmQkI.jpg

JolyonMaugham6 December 2016 11:43
JolyonMaugham6 December 2016 11:44

Government lawyer says he won't go into double taxation as an argument, like he'd hoped because it's too complex to fit into the time left

Siobhan Fenton6 December 2016 11:48

He jokes that it's an act of "cowardice" for him as a lawyer which he hopes the judges will forgive

Siobhan Fenton6 December 2016 11:49

And says he would like it to be considered as a bullet point on principle but without discussing it in court

Siobhan Fenton6 December 2016 11:50

The Government fully respects parliamentary sovereignty, Eadie tells court

Siobhan Fenton6 December 2016 11:52

The 2015 Referendum Act demonstrates this, Eadie says

Siobhan Fenton6 December 2016 11:52

"Parliament is already deeply involved and unsurprisingly involved in the process of withdrawal" Eadie

Siobhan Fenton6 December 2016 11:54

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