Brexit and an update on The People’s Challenge to the Government on Article 50

The People’s Challenge is a crowd-funded legal action to stop the British Government’s attempt to invoke Article 50 and leave the EU without consulting Parliament first.

On the 5th of December in The Supreme Court, the British Government’s lawyers will argue that the invocation of Article 50 is a special case, that its powers to take this step do not come from Parliament, or any Act, but rather the Crown in the form of the Royal Prerogative.

Both the Scottish and Welsh governments have been given permission to ‘intervene’ to develop the devolution arguments originally raised by the People’s Challenge team from their own perspectives. Both will argue that the devolution arrangements are a further constitutional bulwark against invocation of Article 50 that only an Act of Parliament can dismantle. And, very appropriately, five key devolution questions that are particular to Northern Ireland have also been referred to the Court by the Northern Irish Court of Appeal so that they can be considered at the same time.

This is a drama that has a class not of thousands, but millions, 65 million UK citizens to be precise – and many other EU nationals living here in the UK too. All eyes will be on the Court (which will broadcast proceedings live). Many will be hopeful that it will make sure the protection of their rights remains the responsibility of those sitting in Parliament.

For more information on this click here.