Scots judge moves Brexit legal challenge to next stage

A legal bid to prevent Boris Johnson from suspending the UK Parliament to force through a no deal Brexit will have a full hearing next month, it was announced today.

The Prime Minister has promised to take the UK out of the EU with or without a deal by October 31.

More than 70 MPs and Peers have joined forces to call on the courts to rule that suspending Westminster to allow the UK to leave without a deal would be “unlawful and unconstitutional”.

At a preliminary hearing in the Court of Session in Edinburgh, Lord Doherty agreed to expedite the timetable for the legal challenge to take place, setting the date for the substantive hearing as Friday, September 6.

The judge announced that all documents in relation to the case must be lodged by August 30. A procedural hearing will take place on September 4.

The latest legal challenge to Brexit has been masterminded by the same legal team that secured a victory at the European Court of Justice in 2018 over whether the UK could unilaterally cancel Brexit by revoking Article 50.

Edinburgh South MP Ian Murray, one of the petitioners, said: “The courts are there to enhance our democracy by giving the public the ability to hold the government to account.

“It’s great progress to have a full hearing in September before the Prime Minister can consider closing down parliament to force through a no deal Brexit. Congratulations thus far to the legal team.”