Interesting that the Supreme Court makes simple majority verdicts. The Government is lucky that they maintain a comfortable majority in Parliament, consider what could have happened had EU supporters held the majority. Would Parliament really defy the majority wishes of the electorate?
What the court said:
Reading out the judgement, Supreme Court President Lord Neuberger said: "By a majority of eight to three, the Supreme Court today rules that the government cannot trigger Article 50 without an act of Parliament authorising it to do so."
He added: "Withdrawal effects a fundamental change by cutting off the source of EU law, as well as changing legal rights.
"The UK's constitutional arrangements require such changes to be clearly authorised by Parliament."
The court also rejected, unanimously, arguments that the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Assembly should get to vote on Article 50 before it is triggered.
Lord Neuberger said: "Relations with the EU are a matter for the UK government."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38720320