Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP plans FIFTY amendments to Brexit bill including a plot to force the UK to stay IN the EU – after Supreme Court rules MPs will get a vote
NICOLA Sturgeon's SNP will table FIFTY "serious and substantive" amendments to a Brexit Bill when it is brought forward in the Commons - including plans to keep us IN the EU.
After this morning's Supreme Court ruling - which said that Theresa May needs a vote in Parliament before triggering Article 50 - the Scottish First Minister stepped up her threats to delay Brexit.
The third-largest party in the Commons said it would put forward 50 amendments to the legislation, which is due to be drawn up within days.
They included demanding the Government produce a white paper before invoking article 50, and that if Parliament reject a deal, Britain should be able to revise the "current terms of membership";.
Alex Salmond, the Former First Minister, said today that his party would give "the people the choice of an independent future in Europe, and rejecting the angry and isolated Britain the Tories are planning".
Ms Sturgeon has said she will still seek a vote in the Scottish Parliament opposing triggering Article 50, and that the Westminster Government was dictating Scotland's future.
The news come as Brexit Secretary David Davis said that today's ruling will NOT delay Britain's plans to leave the EU.
The Supreme Court this morning rejected the Government’s appeal in the landmark Article 50 case, meaning the Prime Minister cannot use prerogative powers and needs to pass a law before kick-starting divorce talks with Brussels.
Mr Davis told MPs this afternoon that he hoped to bring a piece of legislation forward "within days" which would be voted on by MPs and Lords. He also insisted that another vote on Scottish independence would NOT happen.
By a majority of 8 - 3, the Supreme Court justices ruled that the Government could not trigger Article 50 before passing an Act of Parliament, a case brought forward by anti-Brexit campaigner, Gina Miller.
Mr Davis said Government lawyers were studying the 96-page judgment carefully and there was "no going back" on the result of the referendum.
"I trust no one will use [the Bill] as a vehicle for attempts to thwart the will of the people or to frustrate or delay the process," he said.
Labour's Shadow Brexit Secretary, Sir Keir Starmer, said the Prime Minister was wrong to deny MPs a vote on triggering Article 50 and that the Supreme Court case had been a "waste of time and money".
On a bombshell day in the Brexit saga:
- Theresa May has lost her appeal on triggering Article 50 at the Supreme Court
- Gina Miller said "only Parliament can grant rights to the British people and only parliament can take them away"
- Brexit Secretary David Davis told MPs that he hoped to introduce legislation "within days"
- MPs and Peers will have the choice to approve the bill, reject it or pass it with amendments
- The bill will have to get Royal Assent after safe passage through the House of Commons and House of Lords
- Mrs May will then get to trigger Article 50 and start Brexit talks. She wants to do this by March 31, so the Government will have to work fast to hit her deadline
- No 10 said today's ruling would not affect the timeline for Brexit
- Nicola Sturgeon's SNP will table up to 50 amendments to a Brexit Bill
- Jeremy Corbyn said that Labour would seek to amend the Bill in the Commons. Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said he would fight for a second referendum on the final Brexit deal and Ukip's Paul Nuttall said that despite the verdict, the "war will be won"
The Court also ruled that it does NOT have to consult the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Parliaments before triggering Article 50 - which will be a relief for the Prime Minister.
A No10 spokesperson said this morning that the Government would deliver on the verdict of the referendum, and that today's ruling "does nothing to change that".
They went on: "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."
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Ms Miller said that Brexit would be the "most divisive issue of our generation".
She went on: "This ruling today means that MPs that we have elected will rightfully have the opportunity to bring their invaluable experience and expertise to bear in helping the government select the best course in the forthcoming Brexit negotiations – negotiations which will frame our place in the world and all our destinies to come."
How did Gina Miller react to winning her case?
Here is Ms Miller's statement in full
"Today, eight of the 11 supreme court judges upheld the judgment handed down by the high court in November, in a case that went to the very heart of our constitution, and how we are governed.
"Only parliament can grant rights to the British people and only parliament can take them away. No prime minister, no government, can expect to be unanswerable or unchallenged. Parliament alone is sovereign.
"This ruling today means that MPs that we have elected will rightfully have the opportunity to bring their invaluable experience and expertise to bear in helping the government select the best course in the forthcoming Brexit negotiations – negotiations which will frame our place in the world and all our destinies to come.
"There is no doubt that Brexit is the most divisive issue of a generation. But this case was about the legal process, not politics. Today’s decision has created legal certainty, based on our democratic process, and provides the legal foundation for the government to trigger article 50.
"I want to express my gratitude to the supreme court, my team at Mishcon de Reya, Lord Pannick QC and my other counsel, for conducting themselves with such integrity and thoughtfulness in the face of extraordinary and unwarranted criticism.
"In Britain we are lucky. We are fortunate to have the ability to voice legitimate concerns and views as part of society. I have therefore been shocked by the levels of personal abuse that I have received from many quarters over the last seven months, for simply bringing and asking a legitimate question.
"I sincerely hope that, going forward, people who stand in positions of power and profile are much quicker in condemning those who cross the lines of common decency and mutual respect.
"Lastly, I would like to wholeheartedly thank those who have sent me the most heartwarming messages of support. They have truly helped to bolster me in this most arduous process."
Ms Miller also hit out at the "personal abuse" she had received for bringing the case to court.
The Government will now have to work fast to get it through both Houses before March 31, Mrs May’s self-imposed deadline for invoking Article 50 and beginning our EU divorce.
The Government's lawyer, Jeremy Wright, said outside the court that ministers were "disappointed" by the outcome. He said that the Government would "comply" with the ruling and do all that is necessary to implement it.
The European Parliament's chief Brexit negotiator, Guy Verhofstadt, said it was good news that MPs would have a vote.
Pound wobbles following Supreme Court ruling
The pound wobbled against the dollar following the Supreme Court ruling that MPs must get a vote on triggering Article 50.
Sterling dipped by around 0.2 per cent just before the Supreme Court decision on the powers of parliament and Britain’s devolved assemblies in upcoming Brexit negotiations.
It has slid by 0.5 per cent following the announcement.
The pound surged has surged on Monday as investors priced in a defeat for the government in its appeal against a ruling that forces it to consult with members of parliament in Westminster before formally triggering EU exit talks in March.
Last week, the pound surged as Theresa May announced that Parliament would get a vote on the Brexit deal.
Despite recent movements the pound is still down at least 12 per cent against the euro and 17 per cent against the dollar, compared to before the referendum to leave the EU.
Ministers have drawn up an array of contingency plans for the verdict - which they expected to lose - to ensure Brexit begins within nine weeks, No10 revealed overnight.
Detailed plans of action have been worked on for weeks to confront “every single possible outcome”, a Downing Street source insisted.
Reiterating Mrs May’s initial pledge, her official spokeswoman said: “The PM has been very clear we will be sticking to the Article 50 timetable of delivering it by the end of March.”
Who is Gina Miller? Anti-Brexit campaigner behind Article 50 court battle – what we know
SHE is a philanthropist, investment manager and prominent anti-Brexiteer.
Gina Miller has made a name for herself fighting against the legitimacy of Britain leaving the European Union, arguing that the the British government did not have constitutional authority to trigger Article 50 without the tick of approval from Parliament and MPs. The 51-year-old was thrown into the spotlight for her high-profile High Court challenge and demanding words for Prime Minister Theresa May around Brexit. After the court dramatically ruled in favour of the "Wrexiteers" who opposed Theresa May's plans to invoke Article 50 without a parliamentary vote, Miller was subjected to rape and death threats from sick Facebook users.
But before the legal battle, Gina Miller has always been a passionate advocate for issues she believed in.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has said that his party will not block Brexit, and he will ask his MPs to vote to trigger Article 50 in the upcoming Bill.
But he added that Labour WOULD seek to amend it - and if MPs rejected an "unsatisfactory" deal - he would send it back to Brussels.
A spokesperson for Mr Corbyn said today: "Labour respects the result of the referendum and the will of the British people and will not frustrate the process for invoking Article 50.
"However, Labour will seek to amend the Article 50 Bill to prevent the Conservatives using Brexit to turn Britain into a bargain basement tax haven off the coast of Europe."
What the Supreme Court Article 50 ruling on Brexit vote actually means for Theresa May and what happens now
THE GOVERNMENT has lost the Supreme Court appeal on whether the Prime Minister can trigger Article 50 without Parliamentary approval.
The landmark ruling now means Theresa May must pass legislation before she can kick-start EU divorce talks, and below is an outline of what happens next:
The Brexit Secretary David Davis will address Parliament at 12.30pm today to go through the judgment and outline the Government’s plan moving forward.
The Prime Minister has said she wants to invoke Article 50, starting the two-year exit from the EU, by March 31, meaning any new law must be rushed through parliament.
Sources said ministers had been planning for this outcome, and have contingency plans in place.
It is not expected he will present a bill today, but that could happen as soon as tomorrow.
MPs will then have the choice to approve the bill, reject it or pass it with amendments, which could potentially slow down or block Brexit form happening.
The best case for the government would be to avoid primary legislation and involve parliament through a substantive motion – a proposal put forward for debate and a vote.
Legislation would take longer as it involves various stages of debate and approval, and it can also be held up by so-called ‘ping pong’, whereby a bill goes back and forth between the lower and upper house being amended and voted on.
Lawmakers in the House of Commons are thought to be unlikely to try to stop Brexit altogether, however, a cross-party group of lawmakers, who support a “soft Brexit”, whereby Britain stays in or remains close to the EU single market, have demanded a greater say for parliament in negotiations and say they might try to pass amendments that guarantee this.
The government may also face trouble in the House of Lords, where the ruling Conservatives do not have a majority.
If the Lords were to block the bill the government could decide overrule it using the Parliament Act, although it cannot re-table the bill until the next parliamentary session.
The new parliamentary session usually starts in May or June, so that would delay the Brexit process significantly.
Leading lawyer Geoffrey Robertson, an outspoken Remainer, has predicted Brexit could be delayed until after the 2020 election.
They went on: "Labour will seek to build in the principles of full, tariff-free access to the single market and maintenance of workers' rights and social and environmental protections.
"Labour is demanding a plan from the Government to ensure it is accountable to Parliament throughout the negotiations and a meaningful vote to ensure the final deal is given Parliamentary approval."
Paul Nuttall, the Ukip leader, said that the decision would "make no real difference".
He added: "The will of the people will be heard, and woe betide those politicians or parties that attempt to block, delay, or in any way subvert that will.
"In the end I am convinced that though this skirmish has been lost in the courts, the war will be won".
The Lib Dems insisted today that they would vote against triggering Article 50 unless the people were given their say on the final Brexit deal.
Tim Farron said today: "This Tory Brexit Government are keen to laud the democratic process when it suits them, but will not give the people a voice over the final deal. They seem happy to start with democracy and end in a stitch-up.
"The Liberal Democrats are clear, we demand a vote of the people on the final deal and without that we will not vote for Article 50."
