British Court Delivers Blow to E.U. Exit Plan, Insists Parliament Has a Say
A senior British court on Thursday dealt a severe blow to Prime Minister Theresa May’s plans to begin the process of exiting the European Union early next year, ruling she must get Parliament’s approval before she acts.
The decision greatly complicates May’s stated plan to trigger Article 50 — the never-before-used mechanism for a country to leave the European Union — by the end of next March at the latest.
Most members of Parliament opposed Brexit in the lead-up to Britain’s June referendum, when voters opted for an exit by a 52-to-48 margin.
May’s lawyers argued that she had the right to begin the Brexit process without first getting Parliament’s consent. But a London-based High Court sided with a group of plaintiffs who contended that Parliament must first weigh in.
More: British court delivers blow to E.U. exit plan, insists Parliament has a say