UK ministers trying to "strip back" devolution, Welsh Government tells Supreme Court Brexit hearing

The top lawyer representing the Welsh Government, at the Supreme Court hearing on Brexit, has attacked the idea that the will of the people entitles the UK Government to rely on the Royal Prerogative to start the formal process of leaving the European Union.

But Richard Gordon QC acknowledged that Wales, as well the UK as whole, had voted to leave. He told the court that he was not there to try to delay the implementation of Article 50 of the European Treaty, giving notice of the UK's intention to leave the EU.

The main argument before the Supreme Court is whether the UK Government needs Parliament's approval to invoke Article 50 because it was Parliament that legislated to make the UK part of the EU in the first place. The Welsh Government argues that the Government of Wales Act created a similar requirement to seek the Assembly's approval. It was a point queried by one of the judges.

The Welsh Government's QC pointed to the references to EU law written into the Government of Wales Act and to the convention that Westminster seeks the Assembly's agreement before passing any law that affects devolved matters.

In fact, Mr Gordon claimed, it was an attempt to turn the clock back to a time long before Wales had an Assembly or Britain was a member of the EU. He implied that UK ministers were trying to reclaim the powers enjoyed by King Charles I, until Parliament had him beheaded.