UK government has no intention of reversing out of Article 50 once triggered
UK Prime Minister Theresa May's Tory government has no intention of reversing its formal intention to quit the European Union, once it has been given, a report says.
May's government is expected to give formal notice of of UK's withdrawal from the EU before end-March, signalling an up to two-year countdown to its departure from the bloc.
"We have no intention of revoking Article 50 (of the Lisbon Treaty)," a spokesman was quoted by Reuters as stating.
"Article 50 is the mechanism by which we start that process, so this government is very clear that it will deliver on the result of that referendum."
Government lawyers have alleged that once Article 50 is triggered, the process cannot be revoked. However, some EU leaders have said UK could change its mind.
A legal case to decide whether the tripping of Article 50 can be reversed has been filed with an Irish court, the news agency said.
In January, the UK Supreme Court ruled that May's government could not trigger Article 50 without an Act of Parliament.
This ruling overturned the case put forward by government lawyers, who argued that, under Royal Prerogative, it could make this move without the need to consult Parliament.
At present, the so-called Brexit Bill is being discussed by the House of Lords, having passed somewhat limply through Commons.
In the latter house, former Tory Chancellor Ken Clarke likened visions of a post-Brexit future as a "wonderland" fantasy, referring to Lewis Carroll's book about Alice's adventures.
"Apparently you follow the rabbit down the hole and you emerge in a wonderland, where suddenly countries around the world are queuing up with trading advantages and access to their markets," said Clarke.