Theresa May has come to the defence of the British newspapers that attacked three high court judges after they ruled that the government could not trigger article 50 without a vote in parliament.

Speaking on board a flight to Delhi for her first bilateral meeting abroad, the prime minister said she believed the high court had every right to deliver its verdict but argued that journalists were similarly free to complain about it.

The decision and its response caused controversy after the judges were branded “enemies of the people” and the cabinet minister Sajid Javid said the ruling flew in the face of democracy and was an unacceptable attempt to frustrate the will of the people.

“I believe in and value the independence of our judiciary. I also value the freedom of our press,” she told reporters. “These both underpin our democracy.”

May also stressed that the government was determined to overturn the legal decision, which prevents her from starting the formal process of exiting the EU without a vote in the Commons and Lords.

She warned MPs and peers that it was their duty to respect the outcome of June’s referendum in favour of Brexit, as she highlighted that a similar legal case in Belfast had resulted in an opposite ruling.

“In terms of the legal situation, we have had two court cases in the UK. They have come out with different decisions. The Northern Irish court found in favour of the government; the high court found against the government. We think we have strong legal arguments and will be taking those arguments to the supreme court,” she said. “What’s important for MPs and peers is to recognise that parliament voted to give the decision on our membership of the European Union to the people on 23 June – a majority voted and we should now deliver.”

The prime minister also made clear that she would not compromise over the issue of immigration, which she saw as a red line when it came to her “end goals” in Brexit negotiations.

She hit back at comments from Nick Clegg, the former deputy prime minister, that he would use the court ruling to pursue a soft Brexit, arguing that parliamentarians should be able to block a “more self-harming, hard Brexit”.

May responded: “I think the people spoke on the 23 June and I think it was an important aspect that underpinned people’s approach to that was a concern they had about control of movement of people from the EU into the UK. I believe it is important for the UK government to deliver on that.”

But she was unable to say whether the government would be able to bring the overall net migration numbers down to her government’s target of the tens of thousands by a 2020 general election.



May’s comments came as Labour said it would not block the triggering of article 50, which begins the formal process of Britain leaving the EU. Tom Watson, the deputy leader, said the party would instead seek to put pressure on May to bring more detailed negotiating terms to the House of Commons.



The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, appeared to suggest in an interview with the Sunday Mirror that his party would be prepared to vote against the government invoking article 50 unless May signed up to his Brexit “bottom lines”, including pressing for full access to the single market and safeguarding workers’ rights.

But appearing on Pienaar’s Politics on BBC Radio 5 Live, Watson clarified the party’s position, saying: “No, we’re not going to hold this up. The British people have spoken and article 50 will be triggered when it comes to Westminster.

“I think it’s important, the country needs to hear this, because I think most people think that that court judgment meant that the referendum result has fallen. It hasn’t, it will go through. We want Theresa May to be accountable to parliament, but the people have spoken and we respect that decision.”

Corbyn later echoed Watson’s assurances.

There must be transparency and accountability on Brexit terms. We won't block Article 50 but will fight for a Brexit that works for Britain — Jeremy Corbyn MP (@jeremycorbyn) November 6, 2016

Labour MPs in Brexit-leaning constituencies are nervous about the party adopting any position that appears to be one of seeking to keep Britain in the EU. But unless the party is willing to block the triggering of article 50, it is unclear how Labour can exert influence over the process.



The prime minister has reassured European leaders that she plans to stick to her self-imposed deadline of triggering article 50 by the end of March.

Corbyn had told the Sunday Mirror: “Sorry, but we live in a democracy and the government has to be responsive to parliament. It’s not my timetable, so it’s up to her to respond.”



The Scottish National party and the Liberal Democrats are thought to be willing to vote down any legislation on article 50 unless they receive reassurances. Added to Corbyn’s tough language, this suggests the government could be defeated, triggering an early election, which Corbyn said he would welcome. “It would give us the chance to put before the British people an alternative economic strategy for this country,” he said.

The interview, which came after Corbyn refused to answer questions about a potential early general election from an ITV reporter earlier in the day, sowed confusion about Labour’s Brexit strategy, which had appeared clearer since a shadow Brexit team led by Keir Starmer was appointed last month.

The government is planning to appeal against Thursday’s high court judgment, which ruled that it would be illegal for the government to trigger article 50 without consulting parliament.

The Brexit secretary, David Davis, said the judgment appeared to imply that the government would have to bring a bill before both houses of parliament, and all opposition parties, as well as remain-leaning Conservatives, were considering how they would use the extra leverage that could give them.

The prime minister wrote in the Sunday Telegraph: “Parliament voted to put the decision about our membership of the EU in the hands of the British people. The people made their choice, and did so decisively. It is the responsibility of the government to get on with the job and to carry out their instruction in full. MPs and peers who regret the referendum result need to accept what the people decided.”

On Saturday, the justice secretary, Liz Truss, issued a statement upholding the independence of the judiciary.