‘Parliament must vote to commence Brexit’

London, Jan 24: Britain’s top court ruled on Tuesday that Prime Minister Theresa May’s government must seek parliamentary approval before it can start the formal legal process for withdrawing from the European Union (EU), the media reported. According to the ruling, Theresa May cannot withdraw Britain from the EU alone and must get approval from MPs and peers first, the Independent reported. Reading out the judgement, Supreme Court President David Neuberger said: “By a majority of eight to three, the Supreme Court today (Tuesday) rules that the government cannot trigger Article 50 (the mechanism that formally initiates a two-year negotiation period to leave the EU) without an Act of Parliament authorising it to do so.” May has vowed to ect the legislation by the end of March. The Supreme Court ruled that there was no need for the government to wait for consent from the devolved assemblies in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, said a report in the Guardian. Although the ruling, according to reports, represents a blow to Theresa May’s intended timetable on Brexit, a Downing Street spokesman said it had not changed the verdict of the British people. “It’s important to remember that Parliament backed the referendum by a margin of six to one and has already indicated its support for getting on with the process of exit to the timetable we have set out,” a spokesman said. “We respect the Supreme Court’s decision, and will set out our next steps to Parliament shortly.” The Scottish tiol Party (SNP) and Liberal Democrats are likely to vote against the bill if their amendments are not passed, and some Labour rebels will join them, said the report. Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said his party would not “frustrate the process for invoking Article 50” but would seek to amend the government’s bill. (IANS)

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