Devolved Governments permitted to intervene in article 50 appeal

The UK's devolved administrations will be allowed to appear at the UK Supreme Court hearing of the appeal over the article 50 Brexit ruling, the court confirmed today.

In the appeal, to be heard in the week from 5 December, the UK Government will seek to overturn the High Court's decision that formal notice that the UK will leave the European Union cannot be given without the approval of Parliament.

Interventions in the case are to be permitted from the Lord Advocate, for the Scottish Government; the Counsel General for Wales, for the Welsh Government; the "Expat Interveners", George Birnie and others; and the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain.

Additionally, the Attorney General for Northern Ireland has made a reference to the court regarding devolution issues relating to that jurisdiction. Permission to intervene is therefore not necessary.

A statement issued by the court further explained that counsel for the Scottish Government and for the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain have been invited to address in their skeleton arguments the relevance of points of Scots law, so far as they do not also form part of the law of England & Wales, to the determination of the proceedings.

Other applications to intervene have still to be decided.