May confident of Brexit plans despite court ruling
May assures EU leaders that court verdict on Brexit would be overturned and that she would stick to her Brexit timetable.
Prime Minister Theresa May told European Union leaders on Friday that she was confident a court ruling that could delay Britain’s departure from the bloc would be overturned and said she would stick to her Brexit timetable.
May told German Chancel- lor Angela Merkel and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker that she believed her case that the government — not Parliament — should be responsible for triggering Article 50 of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty to begin the divorce would win in Britain’s highest court, a spokesman said.
She also told French Presi- dent Francois Hollande and European Council President Donald Tusk that the British government was sticking to its plan to invoke Article 50 by the end of March.
May is determined to carry out what she calls “the will of the people”, but a High Court ruling on Thursday that Parliament must approve the process raised doubts over whether she can meet her deadline and even prompted suggestions of an early elec- tion. Her focus on ensuring the government has the lead on breaking with the EU has incensed some lawmakers. On Friday, a member of her party said that he had resigned over “irreconcilable policy differences” with May.
“The focus of the government is on the Supreme Court case, winning that case and proceeding with Article 50,” May’s spokesman said, referring to an appeal against the ruling that is expected to be heard early next month. “Clearly we are disappointed by Thursday’s decision. We’d rather not be in this position but we are, so ... the key is our commitment to triggering Article 50 no later. The end of March remains the target for the government.”