Supreme Court considers Brexit case appeal
- Published
The Supreme Court has said it is "aware of the urgency" of the case
The Supreme Court has said it will consider whether to hear an appeal from the UK government over a legal challenge to the Brexit process.
The European Court of Justice will examine later this month whether the UK can halt Brexit if MPs vote to do so.
The case has been brought by a group of anti-Brexit politicians, and was referred to the ECJ by the Court of Session in Edinburgh.
But the UK government wants to prevent the hearing from happening.
It has asked the Supreme Court - the UK's highest court - for permission to appeal against the Court of Session's decision to refer the case to European judges in Luxembourg.
The Supreme Court said the request would be considered by a panel of three judges, who were "aware of the urgency of this matter".
The legal case has been brought by politicians and campaigners including Scottish Green MSPs Andy Wightman and Ross Greer, Labour MEPs David Martin and Catherine Stihler and SNP MEP Alyn Smith, who have claimed that Brexit is "not inevitable" and "there is still time to change course".
They argue that the UK should effectively be allowed to change its mind on Brexit and revoke Article 50, without needing the permission of the other 27 EU members.
If it is successful, their case could strengthen the hand of any attempt by MPs to keep the UK in the EU.
This is because it would give parliament the power to unilaterally halt Brexit if it feels any final deal - or no deal - is unacceptable, even if the government wants to leave regardless.
The European Court of Justice is currently due to hear the case on 27 November.