Nicola Sturgeon launches bid to stop UK government overturning Article 50 decision

The Scottish government has confirmed it will intervene against the government's appeal to trigger Article 50 without the approval of parliament.

A High Court ruled that MPs must be able to vote before Theresa May official launches the formal process of leaving the EU, a decision which the government said they will appeal against.

Nicola Sturgeon has now confirmed that Scotland's most senior legal officer Lord Advocate James Wolffe will lodge a formal application at the Supreme Court requesting to intervene in the Brexit case due to be heard in December.

The First Minister said: "The Scottish government is clear that triggering Article 50 will directly affect devolved interests and rights in Scotland. And triggering Article 50 will inevitably deprive Scottish people and Scottish businesses of rights and freedoms which they currently enjoy.

"It simply cannot be right that those rights can be removed by the UK Government on the say-so of a Prime Minister without parliamentary debate, scrutiny or consent. So legislation should be required at Westminster and the consent of the Scottish Parliament should be sought before Article 50 is triggered.

"Let me be clear – I recognise and respect the right of England and Wales to leave the European Union. This is not an attempt to veto that process. But the democratic wishes of the people of Scotland and the national Parliament of Scotland cannot be brushed aside as if they do not matter."

Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU on 23 June. Sturgeon previously announced she would "take all possible steps" to ensure the country remained in the EU following UK's Brexit vote.