Senior Tories urge UK's May to drop High Court appeal over Brexit ruling

PanARMENIAN.Net - A prominent Brexit supporter has joined senior Tories in urging Theresa May to scrap an appeal against a court ruling which states Parliament must approve the triggering of the formal process to leave the EU, AFP reports.

Former cabinet minister Owen Paterson joined Remain-backers Oliver Letwin, former attorney general Dominic Grieve and ex-solicitor general Sir Edward Garnier in calling for the Prime Minister to abandon her Supreme Court appeal.

It comes after the Scottish and Welsh governments were given permission to intervene in the case, in which the Government is appealing against a High Court ruling which states May must get MPs’ permission before triggering Article 50 of the EU treaties to begin the exit process.

Letwin, a former minister who was director of the Government’s “Brexit Unit” following the referendum, said avoiding the Supreme Court would avert a risk of judges granting “veto powers” to the Scottish and Welsh devolved administrations.

Brexit-backer Paterson said May should concede defeat because uncertainty is bad for the economy.

He said Article 50 should be triggered on time – the PM has promised it by April – to make Brexit an issue in French, German and Dutch elections next year in the hope that businesses in those countries will lobby for commitments to favourable trade terms with the UK.