QuickTake Q&A: Brexit Gets First Challenge in U.K. Court Case
A display of U.K., Union Jack flags fly in front of The Houses of Parliament, in London, U.K., on Monday, Feb. 15, 2016. U.K. lawmakers are not the only ones bracing for a tough few months before Britain's referendum on its European Union membership. A gauge of expected volatility for the pound near the highest since 2011 shows traders are expecting a rough ride too.
Photographer: Jason Alden/BloombergBritish voters, it turns out, can’t actually remove their country from the European Union. Only their elected leaders can do so. Since the June 23 referendum, the debate has turned to whether Prime Minister Theresa May can initiate the country’s EU exit without first seeking permission from Parliament. The question has sparked what could turn into a wave of legal challenges, known as judicial reviews. The first one will be the subject of a two-day hearing that begins on Oct. 15.
It’s a court proceeding to weigh the lawfulness of how a government decision has been reached. Judicial reviews provide one of the few mechanisms available for members of the public to hold the state’s most powerful officials to account. Only those with "sufficient interest" are able to bring a suit, and they must first obtain permission for their case to be heard.