The High Court has ruled that the Government will not be able to trigger Article 50 without the approval of the British parliament - and some people really, really aren’t happy about it.
Leave voters who, during the European Union Referendum campaign, called for sovereignty to be restored to the British parliament are now rather annoyed it’s actually happened.
Some are predicting riots and others are advocating “more extreme avenues”.
Here are 9 reactions to today’s ruling:
1. Direct action against the High Court, at night, when everyone’s gone home:
2. Predictions of rioting in the streets:
3. Other ‘more extreme avenues’:
4. Everyone’s an expert:
5. Civil unrest and a general meltdown in society:
6. Irony:
7. More irony:
8. The bittersweet realisation from ‘Brexiteers’:
9. MPs rejoicing:
Theresa May argued she had the authority to use the royal prerogative to trigger Article 50 without a vote.
Government lawyers said prerogative powers are a legitimate way to give effect “to the will of the people” who voted by a clear majority to opt for Brexit in the June EU referendum.
However the High Court disagreed and said May unlawfully intended to by-pass parliamentary scrutiny while taking irreversible steps to remove statutory rights granted to UK citizens under the European Communities Act 1972, which made EU law part of UK law.
The government has decided to appeal against the ruling at the Supreme Court.