UK Lord Chancellor defends court after Brexit decision furor

U.K. Lord Chancellor Liz Truss, responding to calls that she defend British courts after a ruling on Brexit sparked blistering criticism in the press, said court independence is “the foundation upon which our rule of law is built.”
“Our judiciary is rightly respected the world over for its independence and impartiality,” Truss said in a statement posted Saturday on the U.K. Ministry of Justice Twitter page.
The Bar Council representing barristers in England and Wales was among those urging Truss, who also is the secretary of state for the judiciary, to publicly back the ruling on Thursday that said Prime Minister Theresa May needs Parliament’s permission to begin Brexit negotiations to leave the European Union.
After the decision, the Daily Mail branded the three judges “Enemies of the People,” while the Sun’s front page demanded: “Who Do EU Think You Are?” The Daily Telegraph’s headline read “The judges versus the people” above a column by U.K. Independence Party interim leader Nigel Farage, who said “a great betrayal is underway.”
The Council “condemns” attacks on the ruling judges following their decision, it said in a statement on its website Saturday. The association urged Truss to make a public statement of support as a “matter of urgency.”
In her three-sentence statement, Truss said: “In relation to the case heard in the High Court, the Government has made it clear it will appeal to the Supreme Court. Legal process must be followed.”
While lawmakers didn’t call into question the decision to leave the EU, the legal decision injects further uncertainty into an already opaque process and may require May to win the backing of lawmakers. A vote in both the House of Commons and House of Lords would slow down and may complicate the exit process.
The ruling will be reviewed by the Supreme Court in December. Rachel Morison, Steve Geimann, Bloomberg