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| Brexit: Supreme Court says Parliament must give Article 50 go-ahead | Brexit: Supreme Court says Parliament must give Article 50 go-ahead |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Parliament must vote on whether the government can start the Brexit process, the Supreme Court has ruled. | Parliament must vote on whether the government can start the Brexit process, the Supreme Court has ruled. |
| The judgement means Theresa May cannot begin talks with the EU until MPs and peers give their backing - although this is expected to happen in time for the government's 31 March deadline. | The judgement means Theresa May cannot begin talks with the EU until MPs and peers give their backing - although this is expected to happen in time for the government's 31 March deadline. |
| But the court ruled the Scottish Parliament and Welsh and Northern Ireland assemblies did not need a say. | But the court ruled the Scottish Parliament and Welsh and Northern Ireland assemblies did not need a say. |
| Brexit Secretary David Davis will make a statement to MPs at 12:30 GMT. | Brexit Secretary David Davis will make a statement to MPs at 12:30 GMT. |
| During the Supreme Court hearing, campaigners argued that denying the UK Parliament a vote was undemocratic and a breach of long-standing constitutional principles. | |
| But the government said it already had the powers to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty - getting talks under way - without the need for consulting MPs and peers. | |
| It said that MPs had voted overwhelmingly to put the issue in the hands of the British people via the referendum. | |
| What the court said | |
| Reading out the judgement, Supreme Court President Lord Neuberger said: "By a majority of eight to three, the Supreme Court today rules that the government cannot trigger Article 50 without an act of Parliament authorising it to do so." | Reading out the judgement, Supreme Court President Lord Neuberger said: "By a majority of eight to three, the Supreme Court today rules that the government cannot trigger Article 50 without an act of Parliament authorising it to do so." |
| The court also rejected arguments that the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Assembly should get to vote on Article 50 before it is triggered. | The court also rejected arguments that the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Assembly should get to vote on Article 50 before it is triggered. |
| Lord Neuberger said: "Relations with the EU are a matter for the UK government." | Lord Neuberger said: "Relations with the EU are a matter for the UK government." |
| Government reaction: This will not delay Brexit | |
| Outside the court, Attorney General Jeremy Wright said the government was "disappointed" but would "comply" and do "all that is necessary" to implement the court's judgement. | Outside the court, Attorney General Jeremy Wright said the government was "disappointed" but would "comply" and do "all that is necessary" to implement the court's judgement. |
| A Downing Street spokesman said: "The British people voted to leave the EU, and the government will deliver on their verdict - triggering Article 50, as planned, by the end of March. Today's ruling does nothing to change that." | A Downing Street spokesman said: "The British people voted to leave the EU, and the government will deliver on their verdict - triggering Article 50, as planned, by the end of March. Today's ruling does nothing to change that." |
| In his statement to MPs later Brexit Secretary David Davis is expected to give more details on the plans to bring forward a Bill to Parliament. | |
| Campaigner Gina Miller gives her reaction | |
| Gina Miller, one of the campaigners who brought the case against the government, said Brexit was "the most divisive issue of a generation", but added that her victory was "not about politics, but process". | Gina Miller, one of the campaigners who brought the case against the government, said Brexit was "the most divisive issue of a generation", but added that her victory was "not about politics, but process". |
| Analysis - By Dominic Casciani, BBC home affairs correspondent | |
| This momentous judgement is about one thing alone: the rule of law and how the UK, as a champion of that steady, calm form of government, gets on with the business of leaving the EU. | |
| But what it also makes clear is that membership of the EU is messy in constitutional terms - so only Parliament has the right to pull us out. It can't be done by the stroke of a minister's pen. | |
| On the devolution side, the government did however win hands down. The court unanimously ruled that the devolved bodies have no real say in leaving the EU: constitutional power - the means to change the fabric of the United Kingdom, rests with the UK Parliament alone. | |
| What the parties say | |
| Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "Labour respects the result of the referendum and the will of the British people and will not frustrate the process for invoking Article 50." | Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "Labour respects the result of the referendum and the will of the British people and will not frustrate the process for invoking Article 50." |
| But the Scottish National Party said it would put forward 50 "serious and substantive" amendments to the government's parliamentary bill for triggering Article 50. | But the Scottish National Party said it would put forward 50 "serious and substantive" amendments to the government's parliamentary bill for triggering Article 50. |
| Article 50 will begin exit talks with the EU, which are expected to last up to two years. | Article 50 will begin exit talks with the EU, which are expected to last up to two years. |
| Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said his MPs and peers peers would vote against Article 50 unless there was guarantee of the public having a vote on the final deal reached between the UK and EU. | Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron said his MPs and peers peers would vote against Article 50 unless there was guarantee of the public having a vote on the final deal reached between the UK and EU. |
| The case against the government was brought by Ms Miller, an investment manager, and hairdresser Deir Tozetti Dos Santos. | The case against the government was brought by Ms Miller, an investment manager, and hairdresser Deir Tozetti Dos Santos. |
| Supreme Court ruling - key points | |
| Supreme Court split | |
| The Supreme Court's judgement backs that made by the High Court last year, against which the government appealed. | The Supreme Court's judgement backs that made by the High Court last year, against which the government appealed. |
| In last June's referendum, UK voters backed Brexit by 51.9% to 48.1%. | In last June's referendum, UK voters backed Brexit by 51.9% to 48.1%. |
| The members of the Supreme Court who rejected the government's appeal were: Lord Neuberger, Lady Hale, Lord Mance, Lord Kerr, Lord Clarke, Lord Wilson, Lord Sumption and Lord Hodge | The members of the Supreme Court who rejected the government's appeal were: Lord Neuberger, Lady Hale, Lord Mance, Lord Kerr, Lord Clarke, Lord Wilson, Lord Sumption and Lord Hodge |
| Those who decided in favour of it were: Lord Carnwath, Lord Hughes and Lord Reed. | Those who decided in favour of it were: Lord Carnwath, Lord Hughes and Lord Reed. |
| Supreme Court on Northern Ireland and Brexit | |
| During the four-day hearing in December, the justices heard arguments that Northern Ireland had a unique place in the UK constitution because of the nature of the 1998 Belfast Agreement and the devolved bodies that flowed from it. | |
| Counsel argued that Northern Ireland's constitution could not be changed without a vote by its people. | |
| But in its judgement, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that not only did the devolved bodies have no role in deciding the future of the UK as a whole in the EU, Northern Ireland had no special status beyond this either. | |
| They ruled that, while Northern Ireland's people did indeed have a fundamental constitutional say on being part of the UK, that did not extend to being part of the EU. |