To ask Constitutional Law experts their take on the Supreme Court ruling?

[Greta84]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38720320

Does that mean if MPs say no there will be no exit from the EU?

I don't think this is exactly going to be the cake walk for the Tories as some are portraying it to be. They are lining themselves up against the majority of businesses and the City and do you think May wants her legacy to be that she inflicted a savage act of economic vandalism on the UK.

Richmond until Goldsmith came along with his fight against Heathrow voted for LibDem for many years. His mayor campaign also lost him many votes but I'm sure he will be back at some point

And Hunt has been outspoken about his opposition to Corbyn and we are all aware of the threats that have been made towards outspoken mp's - perhaps he realised that his work as a Labour MP was pointless at the moment and I don't blame him

Will the Tories unite to stay in power or please their constituents - at the moment it really does not matter about pleasing those remain voters that might not support their MP if they vote with the party as there simply isn't a strong enough opposition for this to be an issue for the party

I don't think this is exactly going to be the cake walk for the Tories as some are portraying

I don't think it will be walk in the park, but it will be a lot tougher on Labour who seem to flip flop on policy depending on the day, date and weather.

Jamie Reed, another non-Corbynite, has also just jumped ship from Copeland, to take on a role with Sellafield - Copeland's a traditional Labour stronghold but it returned a huge Leave vote and saw a big swing to UKIP at the last election. By-election on the same day as Stoke.

I wish you were right @Elendon. In my constituency there was a strong vote for Remain, but my local MP has made it very clear he will toe the party line on any vote to trigger Art 50. It makes me very cross, but ultimately most Conservative MPs will be more concerned about their standing in the parliamentary party, with a government determined to enact a hard Brexit, than to vote with their constituents. They justify this by saying they have "accepted the will of the country" and they are representatives, not delegates who have simply to follow their constituency majority view.
It makes me very cross and I wish we could have a general election as you say. But given the uncertainty of that outcome I think the current government will push on regardless.

I think the one way in which the Tories (who I would never vote for) are consistently superior to Labour (who I have voted for and until very recently was a member of), is party bloody discipline. You can argue until the cows come home as to whether this is just another way of saying they will do anything to gain/ retain power, but you have to admire, even whilst you despise them, their ability to present a publicly united face and close ranks even when said ranks are full of dissent.

YABVU - post this in the Brexit area, not here

Some labour MPs have already spoken out about voting against the party line and are going to vote against it, a big shit storm for labour party.

highclere I think your MP was hedging their bets on that proclamation. Now that Parliament decides and not Government, it does up the ante somewhat. A stout debate in Parliament, hopefully without filibusters, may lead to a rebellion of sorts. The Conservatives have a slim lead, let's not forget. It may lead to a softer Brexit. And watching Boris squirm would be a good thing. I have many Tory friends and most voted to remain, as did most of my Labour friends. It seems contradictory now but the criticism of the Labour party is that they follow the Leader, in a sort of communism style, but that those right of left have a mind of their own. Yet, despite having a mind of their own, they will toe the party line.

What also concerns me is the ruling on Scotland and Northern Ireland (not sure why Wales was added, the Welsh always lie down to the English). I think Scotland should join with Northern Ireland and unite with the Irish Republic.

Some labour MPs have already spoken out about voting against the party line and are going to vote against it, a big shit storm for labour party.

Which ones?

I have seen many say they will vote for Article 50 but will not automatically afterwards vote for any 'deal'

not sure why Wales was added, the Welsh always lie down to the English

Wow how nasty.

But Salemscat that means that there are those in the Party who are not scared to speak out and have a conscience. Or does that not mean anything anymore? Are you voting for sheeple?

It's not nasty at all Piglet. It is as it is. Why would it be nasty to lie down to the English anyway? Perhaps they want lurve....

I suppose Piglet that there was a clear remain majority in Scotland and NI for remain but Wales was marginally leave.

Really heartened to see so many constitutional law experts on here :o!

Really heartened to see so many constitutional law experts on here

I'm glad that some labour MPs are voting against this, I'm just pointing out it divides the party further.

Wales was the same as England, almost re the vote. They are lovers, it's so obvious.

This vote hasn't anything to do with constitutional law. A referendum result isn't going to affect the constitution, unless the result is debated within Parliament, who upholds the constitution, not Government. This was ruling was about a vote on Article 50 being debated in Parliament and decided by Parliament, rather than being a government decision only.

It doesn't divide the Labour party further, the Labour Party is a broad church. Much broader than Ukip or the Conservative Party.

I wrote an essay on parliamentary sovereignty for a diploma a few years ago, does that make me an expert? I spent all of two days writing it.

Whatever happens next, I am very reassured that the supreme court has ruled that parliament is sovereign, and that the government of the day can't just make decisions without parliament. Whichever side of Brexit you are on, this is a good thing in my opinion. Checks and balances and all that.

The Supreme Court have settled the matter as far as the Royal Prerogative goes. You don't need to be a constitutional lawyer to have an opinion on the roll of parliament in a vote on the Article 50 bill. That is political punditry for which we are all qualified.

Seems to be plenty of experts about! Therefore I've decided IANU in posting this in AIBU

Corbyn's problem is that he was such an assiduous rebel against his own whips during all those years on the back benches that he cannot credibly demand Labour MPs follow his line on Art 50/Brexit/anything else. Assuming he has actually decided what his line is. Big assumption.

This is why the Government lost the case - all the constitutional law experts who should have been advising them were busy Mumsnetting.

I'm with Cwtch.

I also thought Pannick was masterly.