United Kingdom's Supreme Court ruled that the government could not trigger Article 50 - the E.U. article that sets out how a country can leave the union - without a parliamentary vote.
This is upholding the 2016 High Court verdict.
However devolved legislatures in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales will not need to be consulted to trigger Article 50.
The 11 justices of the Supreme Court voted 8-3 for this judgement.
Lord Neuberger, president of the Supreme Court on 23rd Jan 2017, said accepting the claimant’s argument that leaving the E.U. would change UK law.
It would also harm the rights of its residents.
The justices rejected government arguments that the 1972 European Communities Act allows for Minsters to withdraw from EU without Parliament vote.
On the devolution issue, the court considered the Sewel Convention that states that Westminster did not legislate on devolved issues.
It ruled that while the convention played an important role, the policing of its scope and operation is not a matter for the court.
This ruling is a set back for the UK government.
This will however, not change government’s timetable for triggering Article 50 by the end of March.
Theresa May: Know More- Theresa Mary May, MP is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
- She is the Leader of the Conservative Party w.e.f July 2016.
- She has been the Member of Parliament for Maidenhead since 1997.
- Born: 1 October 1956, Eastbourne, United Kingdom
- Education: St Hugh's College, Oxford (1974–1977)
