THE Government has lost its historic battle in the Supreme Court over Brexit.

The highest court in the land rejected an appeal by ministers against a High Court judgment blocking their decision to begin Britain's exit from the European Union without Parliament having a say.

Supreme Court justices ruled, by a majority of eight to three, that Prime Minister Theresa May cannot lawfully bypass MPs and peers by using the royal prerogative to trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty and start the two-year process of negotiating the UK's divorce from its EU partners.

North East Hampshire MP Ranil Jayawardena, said the decision passed by the Supreme Court must be respected. 

He said: “The Supreme Court has ruled that Members of Parliament must vote at the outset of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union. I believe it is incumbent upon MPs to respect the will of the British people as a whole, by voting to trigger Article 50. 

"Importantly, this decision was made by British judges, in British courts, deciding on the British constitution. This is exactly what taking back control means for many people.”

The ruling is a blow to Mrs May, who has repeatedly said she intends to trigger Article 50 by the end of March following the clear majority in favour of Brexit in the June 2016 referendum.

It was won by a wide-ranging group of anti-Article 50 campaigners led by investment manager Gina Miller, 51, and hairdresser Deir Dos Santos.