"The people have spoken on this we've got the biggest mandate in history, the result of the referendum must be respected.

"Parliament voted by 6 to 1 to give the decision to the people no ifs or buts and that's why we are appealing this to get on with delivering the best deal for Britain, the best deal for growth, the best deal for investment, the best deal for jobs. The people want us to get on with this and that's what we intend to do.

"The judges have laid out what we can't do but not exactly what we can do, but we're presuming it requires an act of parliament therefore both the Commons and the Lords.

"The first thing to say is this was the decision of the British people that decision was taken after a 6 to 1 vote in the commons to give the decision to the British people so that's why we're appealing it and we're appealing it intending to win that appeal so we can deliver the best deal for Britain... that's what the government is about; delivering the mandate the people laid down in the best way in the best national interest.

"Well parliament is sovereign, has been sovereign but of course the people are sovereign, the people are the ones parliament represents, 17.4m of them, the biggest mandate in history, voted for us to leave the EU and we're going to deliver on that mandate in the best way possible for the British national interest ... and we're going to do that, the people want us to get on with it and that's what we're going to do.