Attorney General among government’s legal eagles for Article 50 court case
Attorney General Jeremy Wright QC has today been confirmed as among the lawyers speaking for the government in the upcoming Article 50 case.
Other members of counsel defending the case at the High Court in October are James Eadie QC, Jason Coppel QC, Tom Cross and Christopher Knight.
The case, which has been brought against the government by a number of claimants including fund boss Gina Miller, will determine whether government needs parliament to pass a new law before it can trigger Article 50 or whether it can be done by prerogative alone.
Read more: When will Article 50 be triggered?
"The country voted to leave the European Union, in a referendum approved by Act of Parliament," said Wright. "There must be no attempts to remain inside the EU, no attempts to re-join it through the back door, and no second referendum.
"We do not believe this case has legal merit. The result of the referendum should be respected and the government intends to do just that."
However, at a hearing to manage the case back in July, Sir Brian Leveson reassured the claimants the case, along with any possible appeals stemming from it, would be heard before the UK begins the departure process from the EU.
Also at that hearing, lawyers confirmed it was still government's position that Article 50 would not be triggered before the end of 2016.