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Parliament must vote on whether the UK can start the process of leaving the EU, the High Court has ruled.
This means the government cannot trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty - beginning formal exit negotiations with the EU - on its own.
Theresa May says the referendum - and existing ministerial powers - mean MPs do not need to vote, but campaigners called this unconstitutional.
The government is appealing, with a further hearing expected next month.
- Rolling reaction to Article 50 court ruling
- Kuenssberg: Will this mean early election?
- The High Court's judgement in full
- Brexit: All you need to know
A statement is to be made to MPs on Monday but the prime minister's official spokesman said the government had "no intention of letting" the judgement "derail Article 50 or the timetable we have set out. We are determined to continue with our plan".
Plebiscites only count when plebes vote the way they're told.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Friday November 04 2016, @05:03PM
What happens if Theresa May ignores this court finding?
My understanding is that based on the Treaty of Lisbon, Article 50 is invoked whenever the British PM formally notifies the EU it is being invoked. It doesn't matter if such a notification is "constitutional" or "legal" or what have you; the mere fact the PM announced it makes it de jure (and de facto) invoked.
So if Theresa May goes ahead and invokes Article 50, what happens then? The bell can't really be un-rung, after all.
(Score: 2) by turgid on Saturday November 05 2016, @11:12AM
Is that within her powers? Wouldn't she have to persuade the Queen to sign the paperwork?
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].