Probably less hassle for Theresa May if we’re honest
The European Court of Justice has rules the UK can unilaterally withdraw from the Article 50 process without approval from the other 27 EU nations.
It means the country does not need permission if it wanted to cancel Brexit.
A statement from the Court said: “When a Member State has notified the European Council of its intention to withdraw from the European Union, as the UK has done, that Member state is free to revoke unilaterally that notification.
“That possibility exists for as long as a withdrawal agreement concluded between the EU and that Member State has not entered into force or, if no such agreement has been concluded, for as the two-year period from the date of the notification of the intention to withdraw from the EU, and any possible extension, has not expired.”
#ECJ: UK is free to unilaterally revoke the notification of its intention to withdraw from the EU – Case C-621/18 Wightman #Brexit pic.twitter.com/KUOI2eQ48C
— EU Court of Justice (@EUCourtPress) December 10, 2018
On Tuesday the House of Commons will stage a meaningful vote on Theresa May’s draft Brexit agreement. At this preliminary stage it looks as though the Conservatives could lose by as many as 100 votes.
Such a comprehensive defeat on the prime minister’s entire raison d’être would jeopardise her entire government.
This weekend the Labour party said it was ready to run a minority government from Wednesday.
Responding to the European Court’s ruling on Monday morning, foreign secretary Jeremy Hunt told Sky News: “It doesn’t mean anything.”
