By Ben Kerrigan
Parliament must vote on the process of Brexit, the High Court has ruled.
The implication is that the government cannot trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treat to begin the formal process of leaving the EU without consultation with MP’s. Theresa May had intended to trigger Article 50 by March 2017 at the latest, but campaigners deemed this to be unconstitutional and took the case to court.
The government will appeal the decision, with a further hearing expected next month. An official spokesperson for the prime minister said the government has no intention of letting the judgement derail Article 50 or the scheduled time table, adding ‘’We are determined to continue with our plan”(of brexit) Opposition leader, Jeremy Corbyn, called for the government not to delay in bringing its negotiating terms to parliament without delay, adding that there must be transparency and accountability to Parliament on the terms of Brexit.
Court Ruling
The court ruling marks a huge victory for remain campaigners, who would hope to see the Brexit referendum blocked. Ukip leader, Nigel Farage, express a fear of a ‘’half Brexit’’ in which 51.9% of voters who backed leaving the EU could be betrayed. However, the court ruling does not permit Parliament to veto the Brexit decision, but rather to participate in the negotiating process of Brexit.
Brexit
If Mp’s were allowed to vote on whether Brexit should go ahead, they will be able to block it, though this would contradict the spirit in which the referendum was conducted. It is more likely that Mp’s will want to discuss the process of Brexit than to block it. A lot will now depend on the outcome of an appeal by the government, with a potential for ongoing delays that will call for a collective stance of maturity from parliament and the government. The issue should not be as complicated as it potentially can become. The government is constitutionally expected to consult Mp’s on matters of this significance, Theresa May’s only concern being whether a majority of Mp’s would block the motion or not.
The critical issue will then be whether the power to block the triggering of Article 50 is part of the consultation, in which case this will be part of the issue to be presented in court when the government launches its appeal.