Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Tuesday said she was "disappointed" after Britain's Supreme Court ruled that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will not need to be consulted before starting the process of leaving the European Union.

Speaking in Edinburgh, Sturgeon said, despite the ruling, that it was the UK government's "political obligation...to listen to the devolved administrations."

She also welcomed the news that MPs will vote on the triggering of Article 50.

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POOL

Edinburgh - 24 January 2017

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister:

"Well I welcome the Supreme Court ruling that an act of parliament is required in the House of Commons before the triggering of Article 50. I think that ruling is an indictment of a UK government that thought it could press ahead without any reference to Parliament whatsoever. So it's now vital that parliament gets the chance to debate and decide upon, not just the triggering of Article 50 but I think the terms of the negotiating position as well, and SNP MPs will seek to work with others to stop a hard Brexit in its tracks."

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2. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister:

"Scotland voted against Brexit and therefore I think it is inconceivable that SNP MPs would vote for the triggering of Article 50. But I think it's important that the House of Commons and parliament is involved not just in that narrow question whether to trigger Article 50 but also the terms of the negotiations. The Prime Minister set it last week, a path towards the hardest of hard Brexits. I don't believe there's a majority for that in the House of Commons and I certainly don't believe there's majority for that across the country so this is an opportunity for the House of Commons to assert itself and to have a say not just on the narrow question but on the broader terms of negotiations as well."

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3. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister:

"I am disappointed at the Supreme Court ruling about the rule of the devolved administrations and I think it raises a really important question for the UK government after the Smith Commission following the independence referendum. They were at great pains to see that the Sewel Convention was to be embedded in legislation and therefore that it was taking on a more important role in the devolved arrangements. Now, what was the point of embedding it in legislation if it's not legally enforceable? I think that commitment from the UK government today has been shown to be not worth the paper it's written on. That said the court is very clear, that Brexit will touch upon the devolved competencies of the devolved administrations and recognises the importance of Sewel as a political convention. So I think that there's still a political obligation for the UK government to listen to the devolved administrations, we will certainly bring forward a legislative consent motion because I think it's important that the Scottish Parliament has the right to vote on whether or not it is prepared to consent the triggering or not of Article 50."

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4. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister:

"But there's nothing in the Supreme Court's ruling that's says that Sewel Convention should be ignored completely as a political convention. Clearly Brexit impinges upon the devolved competencies, not just of the Scottish parliament but the Welsh Assembly and the Northern Irish Assembly, as well. And I think it's a matter of democratic principle that the Scottish parliament on such a big fundamental issue with so many implications for the devolved settlements should have a say on whether or not it consents to the triggering of Article 50. So we will bring forward a motion that allows the Scottish Parliament to do that and I will then hope that the UK government would pay attention to it."

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5. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister:

"I have made very clear that that option is very very much on the table and as I have said before with every day that passes right now it's becoming clearer that Scotland's voice cannot and is not able to be heard within the UK on this question. That raises big issues. I have set down a path of process of exhausting and exploring all options. I will continue to do that but be in no doubt that I think the decision is looming for Scotland. Are we prepared to allow our future to be dictated by a Westminster government that's gone down a path I think the majority of people in Scotland do not want to go down or are we going to take our futures in our own hands?"

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Campaigners representing the rights of UK citizens living and working in the European Union said they were "delighted and relieved" by Tuesday's ruling at the Supreme Court on the process of leaving the EU.

Britain's government must get parliamentary approval before starting the Brexit process, the court ruled, potentially delaying Prime Minister Theresa May's plans to trigger negotiations by the end of March.

John Shaw, spokesperson for campaign group Fair Deal for Expats, said "proper parliamentary scrutiny now offers the best chance for our circumstances to be considered in the lead up to the Brexit negotiations".

He also urged the government not to use the EU expatriate community as "bargaining chips" but to ensure "hard guarantees are put in place about what the future holds for such a large number of ordinary people"

UK POOL

London - 24 January 2017

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1. SOUNDBITE (English) John Shaw, Fair Deal for Expats campaign group spokesperson:

"We are delighted and relieved by the decision of the Supreme Court today. There can now be proper control by the MPs the British people elect over the process of the UK leaving the EU. Together with 3 million nationals of other European countries who live here, we are the people who are most profoundly affected by all of this. Everything people in Britain take for granted in their daily lives rests for us on our being EU citizens."

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2. SOUNDBITE (English) John Shaw, Fair Deal for Expats campaign group spokesperson:

"Proper parliamentary scrutiny now offers the best chance for our circumstances to be considered in the lead up to the Brexit negotiations. This is the human side of Brexit. We would urge the government not to use us as bargaining chips. We will be calling on the government and the European Commission to ensure hard guarantees are put in place about what the future holds for such a large number of ordinary people. We ask that governments across the EU do the same."

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The lead plaintiff in the British Supreme Court case said on Tuesday that she was happy with the ruling because it provides the legal foundation to trigger Brexit.

Gina Miller spoke shortly after the Supreme Court announced in a majority 8-3 decision that the government must get parliamentary approval before starting the process of leaving the European Union.

Miller also said that the case was about the legal process, not politics.

British Attorney General Jeremy Wright said that the government will comply with the ruling, and that a statement will be made in Parliament later.

The court also unanimously decided that there's no need to consult Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland on Brexit.

Tuesday's ruling raises hopes among pro-EU politicians that they will be able soften the terms of the U.K.'s withdrawal from the bloc.

British Prime Minister Theresa May wanted to use centuries-old powers known as royal prerogative to invoke Article 50 of the EU treaty and launch two years of exit talks.

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UK POOL

London - 24 January 2017

1. Lead plaintiff Gina Miller exiting court

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Gina Miller, Lead plaintiff: ++AUDIO AS INCOMING++

"Good morning, today eight of the 11 supreme judges upheld the judgment handed down by the High Court in November, in a case that went to the very heart of our Constitution and how we are governed. Only parliament can grant rights to the people and only parliament can take them away. No prime minister, no government, can expect to be unanswerable or unchallenged. Parliament alone is sovereign. This ruling today means that MPs we have elected will rightfully have the opportunity to bring their invaluable experience and expertise to bear in helping the government select the best course in the forthcoming Brexit negotiations, negotiations that will frame our place in the world and all our destinies to come."

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3. SOUNDBITE (English) Gina Miller, Lead plaintiff:

"There is no doubt that Brexit is the most divisive issue of a generation, but this case was about the legal process, not politics. Today's decision has created legal certainty based on our democratic process and provides the legal foundations for the government to trigger Article 50."

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The four day hearing about who has the power to trigger the EU exit - lawmakers or the government- wrapped up in London on Thursday.

The Supreme Court has been asked to rule on a major constitutional issue: Does the power to take Britain out of the EU rest with the executive - May's government - or with Parliament?

The government argued it can use powers known as royal prerogative to invoke Article 50 of the EU's key treaty, the formal trigger for exit talks from the 28-nation bloc.

Speaking after the conclusion of the proceedings Attorney General, Jeremy Wright QC, said there has been a "clear expectation that the outcome of the referendum would be honoured - inside and outside Parliament, before, during and after the referendum campaign".

Lawyers challenging the government say leaving the EU will change Britain's laws and remove citizens' rights, including free movement within the bloc - and that can't be done without legislation in Parliament.

Gina Miller, the lead claimant, said the process has been "emotionally and physically, mentally quite draining" but as the days have gone on she has realised the enormity of the case.

The immediate future of the Brexit process now rests in the hands of the 11 Supreme Court justices, with a decision expected in January.

UK POOL

London - 8 December 2016

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1. Lawyers bowing as judges exit at the end of the hearing

2. Various of people leaving court

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Wright QC, UK Attorney General:

"There has been a clear expectation that the outcome of the referendum would be honoured - that's inside and outside Parliament, it's before, during and after the referendum campaign. Members of Parliament voted overwhelmingly to have this referendum and as you know, as recently as yesterday evening, Parliament's been continuing to have a say about this."

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4. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Wright QC, UK Attorney General:

"Look, we don't decide which cases are brought. The claimants bring their case, as they did. When we believe, as we did, that judges weren't right in the judgement they reached in the divisional court then the right thing is to appeal that judgement. That's what we've done and we now wait and see what the Supreme Court has to say on the matter."

5. Various of Gina Miller, the lead claimant, leaving court

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Gina Miller, lead claimant:

"It's been, the bank of cameras and coming in, the whole thing has been quite emotionally and physically, mentally quite draining. I almost feel as though I'm back into first year law college listening to lectures but one after the other after the other. And then there is the enormity of the fact that I'm sitting in the Supreme Court hearing my name being mentioned and referred to as the Miller case, it's all quite unusual to take it, you know it's just not normal sort of every day. But what's also important as the days have gone on, is to realise the enormity of the case."

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Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn has welcomed Tuesday's Supreme Court ruling that UK parliament should be consulted before the government triggers Article 50 to leave the European Union.

The Labour party leader said he would not block the government's plan to invoke Article 50 by the end of March, saying "it doesn't mean we abdicate the field, it means we then hold the government to account".

UK POOL

London - 24 January 2017

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Corbyn, British opposition Labour party leader:

"We will support Article 50 being triggered, we have made that very, very clear. That is the result of the referendum and we have to respect that. It doesn't mean we abdicate the field, it means we have to hold the government to account on the issues of trade, the issues of rights and the issues of the long-term direction in which this country wants to go. Because the strange thing about the Prime Minister's speech was this implied threat that if Europe doesn't do what she wants, then she's going to turn us into some Singapore-style economy on the shores of Europe. Well, that is not what people voted for, people voted for leaving the European Union, they didn't vote to vote themselves out of work."

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2. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Corbyn, British opposition Labour party leader:

"I think it's quite appalling that the government has not produced a White Paper as a statement of what its intents are. All we have is a speech that the Prime Minister made at Lancaster House, we've got the court judgement this morning and we're going to have a statement apparently from David Davis (UK Brexit Secretary) a bit later on today in the House. Frankly, there should be a proper statement of what the government intends to do on this. We have been making the point ever since the referendum that parliament must be involved. We must be able to hold the government to account, that's what parliament exists for, to hold them to account to make sure that the negotiations actually are for the benefit of all the people of this country, however they voted in the referendum."

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3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Corbyn, British opposition Labour party leader:

"I don't think it's good enough. We cannot say, okay, Article 50, you go off and negotiate and in two year's time you come back with a vote. That's not acceptable. We need to be informed, be able to challenge, be able to overturn if necessary, the objectives and direction in which the government is going on those negotiations. There is also going to be the Great Repeal Bill which will come up presumably during the coming summer. That's going to be an enormous piece of legislation because it is amending 40 years of UK parliamentary legislation, all of which at some point or the other usually refers to European regulations. But we're very clear; we're going to hold them to account. We're going to hold them to account to protect jobs, we're going to hold them to account to make sure British industry does have market access and we're not going to allow ourselves to become some kind of off-shore tax haven. That's not what people voted for."

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4. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Corbyn, British opposition Labour party leader:

"Look every MP represents a constituency, every MP has people that voted either way in the referendum. Every MP represents a constituency and people are worried. They're worried about jobs, they're worried about services, they're worried about rights. There's a whole sense that we will succeed in uniting people around the objectives of the kind of decent, inclusive, caring society we want in Britain. We don't want to become a haven for funny money and dodgy tax avoiders."

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Britain's Supreme Court will rule on Tuesday on whether the prime minister or Parliament has the right to trigger the process of taking Britain out of the European Union.

The 11 justices will either uphold an earlier ruling giving Parliament a direct role in invoking Article 50 of the EU's Lisbon Treaty or reject that ruling in favour of the government's claim it can do so without a vote in Parliament.

Article 50, which has never been used before, starts the formal process of taking Britain out of the 28-nation EU.

The legal battle follows a successful High Court action led by businesswoman Gina Miller.

A reversal of the lower court ruling would give Prime Minister Theresa May the authority to start Article 50 negotiations when she chooses without input from Parliament.

She has said, however, that Parliament will be asked to approve any Brexit deal reached at the conclusion of the talks.

UK POOL

London - 24 January 2017

1. Lord Richard Keen QC, Advocate General for Scotland, (wearing red scarf) and Jeremy Wright UK Attorney General arriving at Supreme Court

2. Various of lead claimant Gina Miller arriving, posing for cameras

3. Various of more arrivals

4. Protester with banner being led away by police

5. Police arriving

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson has denied lying to Queen Elizabeth II when advising her to prorogue - or suspend -parliament for a five-week period.

"Absolutely not," Johnson said Thursday, while visiting a London dockyard to announce a new shipbuilding programme.

His comment came after a Scottish court dealt another blow to his Brexit plans Wednesday, ruling that his decision to suspend Parliament less than two months before the UK is due to leave the European Union was an unlawful attempt to avoid democratic scrutiny.

He stressed that the government will appeal the decision, adding that there is still "plenty of time" for lawmakers to debate the departure.

With Brexit due in 50 days, Johnson insists the country must leave the EU on October 31, with or without a divorce deal - but many lawmakers fear a no-deal would be economically devastating.

Johnson on Thursday said the government's assessment there could be food and medicine shortages, gridlock at ports and riots in the streets if there is a no-deal Brexit, was is a worst-case scenario, rather than something that was likely to happen.

He said the bleak scenario detailed in the government's no-deal contingency plan, code-named Operation Yellowhammer, was "not where we intend to end up."

"This is a worst-case scenario which civil servants obviously have to prepare for, but in the last few months, and particularly in the 50 days since I've been prime minister, we've been massively accelerating our preparations," Johnson said.

He insisted a departure deal with the EU was possible by October 31.

UK POOL

London - 12 September 2019

1. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson onboard ship, as UK announces shipbuilding expansion

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister (commenting on the government's contingency plan in the event of a no-deal Brexit, which was released to the public on Wednesday):

"Well it's very important to understand what this document is. This is a worst case scenario, which civil servants obviously have to prepare for. But in the last few months - and particularly in the 50 days since I've been Prime Minister - we've been massively accelerating our preparations. We're trying to get a deal. I'm very hopeful that we will get a deal with our European friends on October 17 or 18 or thereabouts. But if we have to come out (of the EU) on October 31 with no-deal, we will be ready. And the ports will be ready and the farming communities will be ready and all the industries that matter will be ready for a no-deal Brexit. And what you're looking at here is just the sensible preparations, the worst case scenario, that you'd expect any government to do. In reality, we will certainly be ready for a no-deal Brexit, if we have to do it, - and I stress again that's not where we intend to end up."

3. Wide of Johnson speaking to young sailors

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister:

"I think the British judiciary, the United Kingdom judiciary, is one of the glories of our constitution. They are independent. And believe me, around the world, people look at our judges with awe and admiration. So I'm not going to quarrel or criticise the judges. Clearly, there are two different legal views: the High Court in England had a very different opinion, and the Supreme Court will have to adjudicate in the course of the next few days. And I think it would be proper for politicians to let them get on and do that."

5. Close of Johnson speaking

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Boris Johnson, UK Prime Minister:

Reporter: "Did you lie to the Queen whenyou advised her to prorogue, to suspend, parliament?"

Johnson: "Absolutely not. And indeed, as I say, the High Court in England plainly agrees with us. But the Supreme Court will have to decide. We need a Queen's Speech, we need to get on and do all sorts of things at a national level. We've got a fantastic... here we are, discussing shipbuilding. We're going to be launching five new (Royal Navy) Type-31 frigates. We're going to need bills on education, on health, on housing, on technology, on our vision for investing in science, the space programme, all the things that we want to do on environment, stopping the export of waste overseas and plastics. There are a huge number of things that we want to get on with and do. You can't do them (as things stand right now). We've been going on in this parliament now for longer than any time since the Civil War (in the 1600s). We need a Queen's Speech. We need to to get on with things. And Parliament will have time - both before and after - that crucial (EU) summit on October 17-18 to talk about the Brexit deal. I'm very hopeful that we will get a deal, as I say, at that crucial summit. We're working very hard, I've been around European capitals talking to our friends, I think we can see the rough area of a landing space of how you could do it. It will be tough. It will be hard. But I think we can get there. And the crucial thing is, if we can't get a deal, and I really hope we can, if we can't, then we will be ready to come out on October 31, deal or no-deal, and that's what this is all about."

7. Young sailors

Proceedings began on Monday at the UK's highest court as the British government attempts to overturn a ruling that Parliament must hold a vote before Britain's European Union exit negotiations can begin.

Prime Minister Theresa May plans to trigger two years of divorce talks before the end of March by invoking Article 50 of the EU's key treaty, using centuries-old government powers known as royal prerogative.

The powers - traditionally held by the monarch but now used by politicians - enable decisions about joining or leaving international treaties to be made without a parliamentary vote.

Financial entrepreneur Gina Miller and hairdresser Deir Dos Santos went to court to argue that leaving the EU will remove some of their rights, including free movement within the bloc, and that shouldn't be done without Parliament's approval.

Last month, three High Court judges agreed.

But the government says they have misinterpreted the law.

Government lawyers led by Attorney General Jeremy Wright will argue this week that the British people have spoken by voting in a June 23 referendum to leave the EU.

They say a parliamentary vote would mean getting lawmakers "to answer precisely the same question which was put by Parliament to the electorate and has been answered in the referendum."

Many legal experts say the government will likely lose its appeal and be forced to give Parliament a vote.

In a reflection of the constitutional importance of the case - which hinges on the balance of power between Parliament and the executive - all 11 Supreme Court judges will hear the appeal, the first time the full court has sat since it was founded in 2009.

The case is scheduled to last four days, with a ruling likely in January.

UK POOL

London - 5 December 2016

1. Zoom in from man waving European Union flag outside court building to flag

2. Attorney General for England and Wales Jeremy Wright arriving with his associates

3. Protest bus passing outside court, people on it chanting UPSOUND (English) "Nigel, where are you!"

4. Gina Miller, investment fund manager and philanthropist who was one of the team that won the High Court ruling, arriving with her associates, posing for photographers in front of court entrance

The lead plaintiff in the British Supreme Court case said on Tuesday that she was shocked by the level of personal abuse she experienced for bringing the case after Britain voted to leave the EU in a June referendum

Gina Miller spoke shortly after the Supreme Court announced in a majority 8-3 decision that the government must get parliamentary approval before starting the process of leaving the European Union.

The financial entrepreneur had sued to force the government to seek Parliamentary approval before invoking Article 50.

Leaving the EU will change the fundamental rights of citizens and this can't be done without a vote of lawmakers, she had argued.

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UK POOL

London - 24 January 2017

1. Lead plaintiff Gina Miller exiting court

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Gina Miller, Lead plaintiff:

"I want to express my gratitude to the Supreme Court, my team at Mishcon de Reya, Lord Pannick QC and my other counsel, for conducting themselves with such integrity and thoughtfulness in the face of extraordinary and unwarranted criticism. In Britain we are lucky. We are fortunate to have the ability to voice legitimate concerns and views as part of a shared society. I have therefore been shocked by the levels of personal abuse that I have received from many quarters over the last seven months, for simply bringing and asking a legitimate question. I sincerely hope that, going forward, people who stand in positions of power and profile are much quicker in condemning those who cross the lines of common decency and mutual respect. Lastly, I would like to wholeheartedly thank those who have sent me the most heart-warming messages of support. They have truly helped to bolster me in this most arduous process. Thank you." (Miller turns around to leave)

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