UK Can Cancel Brexit by Unilaterally Revoking Article 50, European Court of Justice Rules

The UK has the legal power to stop Brexit by unilaterally revoking Article 50, the EU's top court has ruled, reported the Independent.

The ruling matches legal advice given to the court last week by its advocate general, who said as a sovereign country Britain could reverse its decision even at this late stage. 

The legal decision is significant because means Britain could prevent a no-deal Brexit from happening if it wanted, even if Theresa May's deal is voted down by MPs next week.

 In their judgment released on Monday morning the panel of judges said it would be "inconsistent with the EU treaties' purpose of creating an ever closer union among the peoples of Europe to force the withdrawal of a member state" against its wishes. 

The court went even further than its advocate general and said the UK could even revoke Article 50 if the period had been extended. This is significant because it means time could be bought to hold a referendum or general election whose result could see Brexit cancelled. 

"When a member state has notified the European Council of its intention to withdraw from the European Union, as the UK has done, the Member States is free to revoke unilaterally that notification," the Luxembourg court said.

"That possibility exists for as long as a withdrawal agreement concluded between the EU and that member state has not entered into force or, if no such agreement has been concluded, for as long as the two-year period from the date of the notification of the intention to withdraw from the EU, and an possible extension, has not expired."

The court said any revocation must be decided "following a democratic process in accordance with national constitutional requirements". In the UK, the...

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