Business leaders urge Theresa May and judges to get on with Brexit to avoid economic uncertainty

JUDGES ruling on Brexit plans have been warned by more than 200 business leaders “unnecessary” hold-ups are creating extra uncertainty that will harm the economy.

Ahead of today’s Supreme Court hearing biz chiefs from across Britain are urging Theresa May to show leadership, trigger Article 50 and get on with Brexit.

In a letter to Downing Street, the business leaders called on the PM to trigger Article 50 “as soon as possible” – preferably before March 31 next year.

Its signatories include both Remain and Leave businesses stretching across the finance, legal, construction, leisure, licensing, car and agriculture industries.

The letter states: “It is now vital that Article 50 is triggered within the Government’s timeframe - no later than 31st March 2017, but preferably sooner - so that the country can get on with leaving the European Union, and businesses and investors can plan accordingly.

“Create certainty and confidence, trade and jobs will follow.’”

The Government will lay out their appeal to the Supreme Court over its ruling that MPs must be given a say before divorce proceedings are kicked off with the EU.

Attorney General Jeremy Wright – the Government’s top legal officer – will remind judges not to thwart the will of the British people and dismiss Brexit as a “footnote”.

Last night leading Eurosceptic and Commons committee Chair Bernard Jenkin echoed the business leaders’ views.

He said: “We all know that business dislikes uncertainty, but it is significant that this group contains business people who voted Remain as well as Leave.

“Business wants to get on with Brexit, and others who are still arguing for delay and prevarication are just adding unnecessary uncertainty”.

It came as former Lib Dem leader and Europhile Nick Clegg was skewered by BBC Sunday Politics presenter Andrew Neil yesterday after claiming Brexiteers never spelt out they wanted to leave the single market.

He was shown a series of clips and quoted lines from the Leave campaign setting out their position.

Mr Neil replayed a number of clips from former PM David Cameron, former Chancellor, George Osborne and Boris Johnson which said the UK would exit the Single Market.

Mr Neil said: “They wanted to leave the Single Market… that’s quite clear.”

But Mr Clegg hit back: “It was much more opaque than that.”

The Sheffield MP – who is urging pro-EU voters to switch to the Lib Dems and wants a second referendum – became annoyed when shown footage of himself describing the June 23 vote as ”a once in a lifetime event”.