Supreme Court grants government permission to appeal High Court Article 50 decision
The Supreme Court has granted the government permission to appeal the High Court's Article 50 ruling that parliament must have a say in EU divorce proceedings.
The challenge will start on December 5 and is expected to last four days.
All 11 Supreme Court justices will sit on the appeal panel, which will be chaired by its President Lord Neuberger.
The court said in a statement: "Judgment will be reserved at the conclusion of that hearing and follow at a later date, probably in the New Year."
A spokesman for Theresa May said the Prime Minister is committed to triggering Article 50 by the end of March and believes the timetable is still deliverable.
On Monday, Brexit Secretary David Davis told MPs in the House of Commons that there would be no second referendum on Britain's membership of the EU, and insisted that there must be no attempts to remain and rejoin the EU "through the backdoor".
Mr Davis said the government will stick to its timetable of triggering Article 50 by the end of March next year, amid reports that the government was preparing a draft contingency bill in case its Supreme Court appeal fails.
The government denied reports of the contingency bill, and maintained that it has "strong legal arguments" to win its Supreme Court appeal.
On Tuesday, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that Scotland's most senior legal officer, the Lord Advocate, will lodge a formal application at the Supreme Court requesting to intervene in the government's appeal.
"Legislation should be required at Westminster and the consent of the Scottish Parliament should be sought before Article 50 is triggered," she said.