Big news this afternoon…
The Scottish Government is to intervene against the UK’s appeal to the Supreme Court over the triggering of Article 50.
This follows on from the High Court ruling last week that MPs must vote on whether or not the UK can begin the process of exiting from the European Union.
The ruling was dished down by three judges who said without parliament approval, the move would be unconstitutional. They were then slated in the English press for their decision.
Theresa May announced the intention of the government to take the matter to the Supreme Court as she believed that the result of the EU referendum meant that MPs did not need to vote on triggering Article 50 (formally notifying the intention to withdraw from the EU).
Scotland had observed the case with a view to getting involved but now it’s been revealed that Lord Advocate, Scotland’s most senior law officer, would be heard in the case in front of the Supreme Court.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed to the BBC that they would seek to intervene in the case as it had direct implications to the future of Scotland.
However, she did emphasise that she wasn’t attempting to veto the process of Wales and England leaving the EU, but was rather catering for the wishes of the majority of Scottish people who voted 62% to 38% to remain within the EU.
The first minister said: “The Scottish government is clear that triggering Article 50 will directly affect devolved interests and rights in Scotland.
“And triggering Article 50 will inevitably deprive Scottish people and Scottish businesses of rights and freedoms which they currently enjoy.
“It simply cannot be right that those rights can be removed by the UK government on the say-so of a prime minister without parliamentary debate, scrutiny or consent.”
The news comes the day after Britain’s Brexit Minister David Davis revealed that Ireland will maintain its special status with the UK that was established in the Ireland Act 1949.
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