Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed the Scottish government will intervene in the appeal over Article 50 case
This is getting interesting.
The Scottish government is now attempting to intervene in the UK government's appeal to the Supreme Court over the triggering of Article 50.
The High Court ruled last week that MPs must vote on whether the UK can start the process of leaving the EU and the government confirmed it would appeal to the Supreme Court as the judgement was "disappointing". The ruling meant Theresa May can't trigger Article 50 without approval from Parliament.
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A hearing will take place next month.
And now, Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed the Lord Advocate, Scotland's most senior law officer, will now apply to be heard in the case.
Scotland's First Minister, said: “The Scottish government is clear that triggering Article 50 will directly affect devolved interests and rights in Scotland. And triggering Article 50 will inevitably deprive Scottish people and Scottish businesses of rights and freedoms which they currently enjoy."
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It simply cannot be right that those rights can be removed by the UK Government on the say-so of a Prime Minister without parliamentary debate, scrutiny or consent.
So legislation should be required at Westminster and the consent of the Scottish Parliament should be sought before Article 50 is triggered.
Let me be clear – I recognise and respect the right of England and Wales to leave the European Union.
This is not an attempt to veto that process.
But the democratic wishes of the people of Scotland and the national Parliament of Scotland cannot be brushed aside as if they do not matter.
The case was brought in the aftermath of the EU referendum to determine whether an Act of Parliament needs to be put in place before government triggers Article 50, or whether the government has the prerogative to start the UK's EU withdrawal process itself.