Scotland, Wales can intervene in historic Brexit case, says British Supreme Court

British Supreme Court announced on Friday that the Scottish and Welsh governments will be allowed to intervene in the forthcoming legal battle over how Britain's exit from the European Union (EU) should be triggered.

In what will be one of the most important court cases in British legal history, British Prime Minister Theresa May's government is to appeal against a High Court ruling that parliament must vote on triggering Brexit, Xinhua news agency reported.

The landmark case will start before all 11 Supreme Court judges on December 5 and is likely to last for four days. The decision will not be announced until early 2017.

The Supreme Court said on Friday that the Lord Advocate of the Scottish government and the Counsel General for the Welsh government had been granted permission to intervene in the case.

The court is also to allow other representation in the case by the "expat interveners," George Birnie and others, as well as the Independent Workers Union of Britain.

Additionally, the Attorney General for Northern Ireland will take part in the case regarding devolution issues relating to Northern Ireland.

The High Court in London ruled earlier this month that the British parliament should have a say in Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty is triggered to start two years of formal withdrawal talks from the EU.