No10 puts plans in place to ensure Brits’ get Brexit within nine weeks regardless of Supreme Court ruling
MINISTERS have drawn up an array of contingency plans for a Supreme Court verdict to ensure Brexit begins within nine weeks, No10 have revealed.
The nation’s top 11 judges will give their landmark ruling on the Article 50 court case at 9.30am.
As well as deciding whether MPs should authorise Britain’s EU walk out with a vote, the court will also decide whether Scotland and Northern Ireland’s parliament can also veto it.
Detailed plans of action have been worked on for weeks to confront “every single possible outcome”, a No10 source has insisted.
Reiterating Theresa 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”.
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The Attorney General has briefed the Cabinet that he expects the Supreme Court to uphold the High Court’s initial finding and order that MPs must get a vote.
But a greater – but less likely - threat to Mrs May’s timetable is the two regional parliaments, whose voters backed Remain by a majority.
Brexit Secretary David Davis will make a statement to the Commons to spell out the Government’s position after the verdict.
But there will be no immediate bill put to MPs and Lords tomorrow, as government lawyers will need time to study the judges’ verdict.
Labour's own shadow Europe minister claimed its MPs with constituencies that voted Remain should not be forced to vote for Brexit despite the referendum result.
Shadow Brexit Minister Jenny Chapman risked infuriating voters by insisting that “makes it very difficult” for them to back a vote to trigger Article 50 exit talks.
