Come what May, we’re Brexiting

SCOTS GET MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR IN COURT DOCUMENTS

The British government believes the question of whether it alone can stop Brexit is irrelevant, since it does not intend to change its mind about leaving the European Union, according to its response to a legal challenge by Scottish lawmakers opposed to Brexit.

In a court document seen by Reuters, Theresa May’s government submitted its legal response to the challenge filed by a group of anti-Brexit Scottish lawmakers at Scotland’s Court of Session, its supreme civil court. The court must decide within two weeks whether a full hearing should be called.

The petitioners seek to show that Britain can, if the case arises, change its mind about leaving the world’s biggest trading bloc and do so alone. They say if that were the case, Britain’s bargaining position would be strengthened because it would not have to kowtow to the demands of the other 27 EU members to rejoin.

May formally notified the EU of Britain’s intention to leave by triggering Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty on March 29 last year, starting a two-year exit process.

She has said she will not tolerate any attempt in parliament to block it. But British lawmakers defied the government in December by voting against May’s wishes and securing parliament a much more substantial say on whether to accept the final Brexit deal.

The 21-page court document, sent as a response from Britain’s Brexit Minister David Davis, argued that the petitioners had failed to provide proper grounds. “There not being a genuine dispute as to the proper construction of Article 50(2) TEU, the orders sought should be refused.”

A spokesperson for the UK government had no immediate comment.