Scottish Parliament urged to back revoking Article 50

The Scottish Parliament will vote on whether to back revoking Article 50, following a Scottish Green Party debate on Wednesday.

The party’s co-convener Patrick Harvie has lodged a motion that Holyrood believes unless a Brexit extension can be secured to allow a People’s Vote, the UK should revoke its Article 50 notification.

The motion states a further referendum on Brexit would have to include the option of the UK staying in the European Union.

A cross-party legal challenge involving Green MSPs against the UK Government secured a ruling from the European Court of Justice last year that the UK could unilaterally withdraw its Article 50 notification and stop Brexit without the need for approval from other EU member states.

Speaking ahead of the debate, Mr Harvie said: “Many people across the UK are now waking up to the crisis before us, with over one million marching in London at the weekend and many millions more making their views known by signing the petition to revoke Article 50.

“It’s clear that people are not going to allow the Tories to drag us into a hellish hard right Brexit.

“The UK Government is in shambles. The Prime Minister must seek a longer extension in order to put the question back to the people.

“If she is unwilling to countenance this, the only option remaining is to revoke Article 50 unilaterally.”

The UK Government’s position is that Article 50 will not be revoked.

A UK Government spokesman said: “17.4 million people sent a clear message that they wanted to leave the European Union. The Government has been clear that we will not revoke Article 50.”

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