London: The Supreme Court in the United Kingdom, is to begin hearing an appeal by the government against a High Court ruling that the Prime Minister must consult Parliament before triggering Brexit.
All 11 judges of the highest court in the UK, will begin analysing the arguments on Monday, although they are not expected to deliver their verdict until next year. “Next week (5 to 8 December), the UK Supreme Court is due to hear one of the highest profile appeals since its establishment,” the court said in a statement.
In view of the controversy raised by the High Court, whose judges were heavily criticized by the pro-Brexit press, the Supreme Court has made it clear that its mission it to consider cases with absolute impartiality.
The Government will be represented by state Attorney General Jeremy Wright, who will claim that Prime Minister Theresa May can use a former royal prerogative to unilaterally invoke Article 50 of the Treaty of Lisbon without obtaining parliamentary authorization.
Triggering Article 50 would initiate a two-year process of negotiations with Brussels for the UK to leave the European Union.
The prime minister’s office maintains that the result of the June 23 referendum, in which 51.9 per cent of voters chose to leave the EU against 48.1 per cent who wanted to remain, gives May sufficient mandate to negotiate without the House of Commons having to pass a law.
However, the Prime Minister has been convinced that she will win the appeal and assured EU leaders that she maintains her schedule for negotiations.
