Scots court rejects bid to show UK could halt Brexit

A Scottish court on Tuesday rejected a legal attempt to ask the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to clarify whether the UK could unilaterally stop the Brexit process if it wanted to, Reuters reported.

The case was brought by a group of lawmakers who want the UK to stay in the European Union in an attempt to show that Brexit could be stopped if Britain withdrew its notification of Article 50 — the process by which Brexit was formally initiated.

But judge J. Raymond Doherty of Scotland’s top civil court declined to refer the matter to the ECJ.

“I am not satisfied that the application has a real prospect of success. Permission to proceed is refused,” he said.

A lawyer for the group who brought the case said they would appeal against the ruling.