BREAKING: Government to table Article 50 law ‘WITHIN DAYS’ after Supreme Court ruling

This morning, the Supreme Court ruled the Government cannot invoke Article 50 and begin EU divorce talks without the prior approval of MPs and peers.

Speaking to MPs in the wake of the verdict, Mr Davis told the House of Commons: "This Government is determined to deliver on the decision taken by the people of the UK in the referendum granted to them by this House to leave the EU.

"So we will move swiftly to do just that. I can announce today that we will shortly introduce legislation allowing the Government to move ahead with invoking Article 50, which starts the formal process of withdrawing from the EU."

The Cabinet minister, flanked by Prime Minister Theresa May and Attorney-General Jeremy Wright, told MPs the Government's lawyers are assessing the Supreme Court judgement "carefully" but insisted there would be no thought of the EU referendum result being reversed.

He said: "There can be no going back, the point of no return was passed on June 23 last year."

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David Davis told MPs legislation authorising Article 50 would be tabled 'within days'

Mr Davis revealed the Government had already considered what action to take prior to today's ruling, in the event of their defeat in the Supreme Court.

He said: "We believe in and value to independence of our judiciary. So of course it goes without saying we will respect this judgement.

"This judgement does not change the fact the UK will be leaving the EU and it's our job to deliver on the instruction the people of the UK have given us.

"We will within days introduce legislation to give the Government the legal power to trigger Article 50 and begin the formal process of withdrawal.

"It will be separate to the Great Repeal Bill that will be introduced later this year to repeal the European Communities Act 1972.

"This will be the most straightforward Bill possible to give effect to the decision of the people and respect the Supreme Court's judgement.

"The purpose of this Bill is simply to give the Government the power to invoke Article 50 and begin the process of leaving the EU. That's what the British people voted for and it's what they would expect."

BREXIT: Supreme Court Ruling
Tue, January 24, 2017

Britain's most senior judges ruled that Prime Minister Theresa May does not have the power to trigger the formal process Article 50 for the UK's exit from the European Union without Parliament having a say.

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Issued by the Supreme Court of (top row, from the left) Lord Neuberger, Lord Mance, Lord Kerr, Lord Sumption, (bottom row, from the left) Lady Hale, Lord Clarke, Lord Wilson and Lord Hodge, who agreed with the majority decision that the Government could not trigger Article 50 without Parliamentary approval.

There can be no going back, the point of no return was passed on June 23 last year

David Davis

Mr Davis told the House of Commons the Government's timetable for invoking Article 50 by the end of March would not be affected and sent a warning to pro-Remain MPs preparing to obstruct Brexit.

He said: "Parliament will rightly scrutinise and debate this legislation but I trust no one will seek to make it a vehicle for attempts to thwart the will of the people or frustrate or delay the process of exiting the EU."

In repsonse to Mr Davis, Labour's shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer demanded the Government produce a formal paper setting out its Brexit plans.

He said the Government could not rely on the Prime Minister's speech last week setting out her Brexit aims as "the only basis for accountability for two years or more".

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Sir Keir Starmer signalled Labour will try and amend Article 50 legislation

Sir Keir said today's Supreme Court ruling was a "good day for parliamentary sovereignty" as he blasted the Government's appeal to the UK's highest court against November's previous High Court decision on Article 50 as a "waste of time and money".

Signalling Labour would attempt to amend the Government's upcoming legislation authorising Article 50, Sir Keir said: "On issues as important as this it would be wrong for the Government to seek to minimise the role of Parliament and to avoid amendments."

More to follow…

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