BBC Online :
The prime minister is expected to tell the European Commission’s president her Brexit timetable will not be derailed by the High Court’s Article 50 ruling.
Three judges ruled on Thursday that Theresa May cannot invoke Article 50 – to start formal exit negotiations with the EU – without Parliament’s support. Mrs May wants to stick to her March deadline for triggering Article 50. But Lib Dem Nick Clegg said MPs should be free to vote against the government if they do not agree with its stance. The government is appealing against the ruling to the Supreme Court. If it loses it will have to publish some form of new law for MPs – and the House of Lords – to vote on.
Former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg – now the Lib Dems’ Europe spokesman – said his party would seek to join with others “in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords to amend the legislation” to tell the government to pursue a “soft Brexit” that would keep the UK within the EU’s single market.
He told Radio 4’s Today that he also wanted to give
the public “a say” on the final deal after EU negotiations are complete. The government’s appeal is expected to be heard in early December by the full Supreme Court – 11 judges – for the first time in its history. The judgement may not be handed down until January.
If the appeal fails, is is thought the government will then have to bring forward legislation – which would have to be approved by both Houses of Parliament. The bill could be subject to amendments. MPs and peers may push for more details of the government’s negotiating strategy or possibly for a second referendum.
The government wants to trigger Article 50 by the end of March 2017 so any legislation would need to be approved by then if the timetable is not to be pushed back. “These are fundamental issues which, of course, as part of this process need to be brought before MPs, and MPs should feel free to scrutinise them,” he said.
The prime minister is expected to tell the European Commission’s president her Brexit timetable will not be derailed by the High Court’s Article 50 ruling.
Three judges ruled on Thursday that Theresa May cannot invoke Article 50 – to start formal exit negotiations with the EU – without Parliament’s support. Mrs May wants to stick to her March deadline for triggering Article 50. But Lib Dem Nick Clegg said MPs should be free to vote against the government if they do not agree with its stance. The government is appealing against the ruling to the Supreme Court. If it loses it will have to publish some form of new law for MPs – and the House of Lords – to vote on.
Former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg – now the Lib Dems’ Europe spokesman – said his party would seek to join with others “in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords to amend the legislation” to tell the government to pursue a “soft Brexit” that would keep the UK within the EU’s single market.
He told Radio 4’s Today that he also wanted to give
the public “a say” on the final deal after EU negotiations are complete. The government’s appeal is expected to be heard in early December by the full Supreme Court – 11 judges – for the first time in its history. The judgement may not be handed down until January.
If the appeal fails, is is thought the government will then have to bring forward legislation – which would have to be approved by both Houses of Parliament. The bill could be subject to amendments. MPs and peers may push for more details of the government’s negotiating strategy or possibly for a second referendum.
The government wants to trigger Article 50 by the end of March 2017 so any legislation would need to be approved by then if the timetable is not to be pushed back. “These are fundamental issues which, of course, as part of this process need to be brought before MPs, and MPs should feel free to scrutinise them,” he said.
