Brexit latest news: Theresa May to introduce Bill 'within days' after Supreme Court ruling

Supreme Court says Government must seek parliamentary approval to trigger Article 50

Supreme Court rules parliament must vote on Brexit

The Supreme Court has ruled Theresa May cannot withdraw Britain from the EU alone and must get approval from MPs and peers first.

Here are the latest updates

• UK does not need Scottish or Irish permission for Brexit
• Pound tumbles as Government loses Article 50 case
• Article 50 bill could be 'very short indeed'
• Judges defy Theresa May and hand power to Parliament
• Bill to trigger Article 50 'revealed by the end of the week'

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Their decision will affect whether Ms May has enough authority to trigger Article 50 on her own, the process through which a country can begin to leave the EU.he case has been brought by banker Gina Miller, along with other appellants including a crowd-funded cohort titled The Peoples' Challenge. They argued that despite the 23 June referendum, which saw Britain vote to leave the EU, MPs are still entitled to vote on whether or not it actually happens.

In November, the High Court heard the case and ruled against the government. The Prime Minister's lawyers appealed the case meaning it was transferred to the Supreme Court.

It is widely expected the government will also lose this case.

Ms May has spoken of her desire to trigger Article 50 by the end of March.

She has also outlined a so-called Hard Brexit, which would feature withdrawal from the single market.

[24 January 2017 12:43 · Kristin Hugo]

Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit Secretary is responding. "This is a good day for democracy," he says. "The PM was wrong to sideline Parliament."

"It would be wrong for the Gov to seek to avoid amendments... if the PM fails in her endeavour... the stakes are high"

"Labour accepts and respects the referendum result and will not seek to frustrate the process... but we will seek amendments" to the legislation put before the Commons. 

"What a waste of time and money... the High Court decision was 82 days ago..."

He asks for the cost to the taxpayer

[24 January 2017 12:47 · Kristin Hugo]

David Davies says the PM was not seeking to sideline Parliament...

"For the ex director of public prosecutions to say the Supreme Court was wasting time is quite extraordinary" he replies. 

[24 January 2017 12:54 · Kristin Hugo]

Making an appearance in the Commons for justice questions, Ms Truss was challenged over her support for the judiciary and urged by Labour to condemn newspaper attacks on judges.

Shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon said: "There are two things dangerous for our democracy - attempting to ignore the outcome of the referendum, and standing by whilst the independence of Britain's judiciary comes under attack.

"In light of this whilst I welcome the progress the Secretary of State has today, under pressure, made in speaking up for the independence of our judiciary, it hasn't deterred those attacks from continuing.

"So will you now, once and for all, condemn the attacks on our judiciary?"

But Ms Truss said she supports both an independent judiciary and a free press.

She said: "Well I'm delighted to hear that the Labour Party wants to support the will of the British people - that is a welcome development.

"As I've said, I'm intensely proud of our independent judiciary, they are a core part of our democracy.

"But I'm also proud to live in a country that has a free press."

[24 January 2017 13:07 · Kristin Hugo]

Labour MP Chuka Umunna said the court's decision allowed the withdrawal from the EU to be triggered by Parliament, rather than "at the whim of the Prime Minister on her own acting as some kind of pseudo-dictator".

The former shadow business secretary said Labour would fight "tooth and nail" to protect the interests of working people during the Brexit negotiation process.

He told the Press Association: "The Prime Minister has served notice that she sees this as an opportunity to change Britain into some giant tax haven serving the interests of the super-rich and multinational companies, and that it is an excuse for her to reduce the social protections that people enjoy at work as consumers.

"We will not have that.

"In terms of the deal that she is negotiating, we will be seeking to make sure that she actually pursues a deal that works for everyone in our country."

Mr Umunna added: "If (Mrs May) can give a speech, she can produce a White Paper setting out in detail what her plan is and what the outline of a deal should be.

"It is not unreasonable for Parliament, acting on behalf of the people, to get her to do that."

[24 January 2017 13:37 · Kristin Hugo]

[24 January 2017 13:41 · Kristin Hugo]

Barry Gardiner, shadow secretary of state for international trade, said Labour would examine the forthcoming Bill to see whether it "respects" what the Supreme Court judges said about the importance of Parliament shaping the future.

He told the Press Association: "We will want to see the Government's plan set out very clearly in a White Paper. It simply is not good enough for the Prime Minister to say 'Oh well, I gave a speech last week'.

"A speech is not a White Paper that a select committee or the House of Commons can hold her to account from. A White Paper is a paper committing the Government to pursuing certain proposals. That's what is required."

He added: "What we want to see is that there will be a real opportunity for Parliament to vote at an early stage where that vote can make a difference to the outcome.

"We will not allow the Government to take us into a bargain-basement, offshore tax haven that is a deregulated Britain.

[24 January 2017 13:42 · Kristin Hugo]

[24 January 2017 14:20 · Kristin Hugo]

[24 January 2017 15:17 · Kristin Hugo]

[24 January 2017 16:09 · Kristin Hugo]