London 24 Jan (ANA) - Prime Minister Theresa May defiantly vowed to push ahead with Brexit today despite being dealt a humiliating blow by the Supreme Court. The top judges set the stage for a bitter showdown with Remainers in parliament as it ruled by a margin of 8-3 that the PM cannot use executive powers to begin the formal process of leaving the EU. Minutes after the painful defeat for the government, a triumphant Gina Miller stood on the steps of the court to declare that she had scored a victory for 'parliamentary sovereignty'. But Downing Street quickly insisted Mrs May would 'get on with' tabling legislation and pledged that the result will have no impact whatsoever on her pledge to invoke Article 50 by the end of March. Ministers will take some comfort from the fact that three of the judges sided with them - and the court flatly dismissed demands from Nicola Sturgeon for the Scottish government to get a veto over the deal. The government is now set to bring forward a short Bill, designed to provide minimal opportunities for pro-EU MPs and peers to table amendments. However, Labour has indicated it will try to alter the law in a bid to soften the PM's Brexit plan. Most controversially, Jeremy Corbyn is demanding a 'meaningful' vote on the final deal that would in effect mean MPs could tear up whatever Mrs May negotiates and order her to start again. The SNP has also threatened to table 50 amendments in an effort to bog the Bill down. Delivering the ruling today, senior judge Lord Neuberger said: 'Today, by a majority of 8-3, the Supreme Court rules that the Government cannot trigger Article 50 without an Act of Parliament.' He said when the UK withdraws from the EU treaties 'a source of UK law will be cut off'.(ANA)

FA/ANA/24 January 2017-----