Britain can ‘stop clock’ on Brexit, says law chief

European officer says UK can revoke its whole withdrawal if it wishes

A cross-party group of politicians has said the UK can “stop the clock” on Brexit after a top European law officer said it can unilaterally revoke its withdrawal from the EU.

MEP Alyn Smith, one of those who brought the case, said the opinion issued by a European Court of Justice (ECJ) advocate general shows “we now have a roadmap out of the Brexit shambles”.

The case was brought forward in February by a group of Scottish politicians – Labour MEPs Catherine Stihler and David Martin, MP Joanna Cherry and MEP Alyn Smith of the SNP, as well as Green MSPs Andy Wightman and Ross Greer, together with lawyer Jolyon Maugham QC, director of the Good Law Project.

In his opinion, published yesterday, European Court of Justice advocate general Manuel Campos SanchezBordona said the UK can “unilaterally” revoke its withdrawal from the EU.

The opinion, which is not binding on the court, comes just a week after the case was heard at the ECJ following a referral from Scotland’s highest civil court, the Court of Session.

A judgment by the court will take place at a later date.

Mr Smith said: “This is a huge win for us and a huge step forward from the highest court in the business and confirms what we have been hoping for: the UK can indeed change its mind on Brexit and revoke Article 50, unilaterally.

“The advocate general opinion is not the final judgment, but the practice of the ECJ is the judges tend to follow the opinion, so this is a major landmark.

“We now have a roadmap out of the Brexit shambles, a bright light has switched on above an ‘exit’ sign and the false choice being offered to MPs at Westminster – it is Mrs May’s disastrous deal or chaos – is shown for what it is, an abuse of Parliament.

“There are other options and we can stop the clock.”

Ms Stihler described it as a “landmark opinion” from the advocate general.

She said: “He has made clear the UK can stop the ticking clock of Brexit before it is too late.

“If judges accept his opinion, the UK will have the option of halting the process and will be able to offer the chance to keep the best deal we have as a member of the EU through a People’s Vote – rather than choosing between Theresa May’s bad deal or a catastrophic no-deal scenario.

“I pay tribute to Andy Wightman for leading on this important issue, which the UK Government had tried to stymie at every turn.

“There is now light at the end of the tunnel.”

Picture: Alan Milligan. SNP MEP Alyn Smith was one of a group of politicians who brought the legal case that has found Brexit could be stopped.