Theresa May defends the independence of High Court judges who ruled she could not unilaterally trigger Brexit

Theresa May - credit: Philip Toscano/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Prime Minister Theresa May has been forced to defend the independence of the three High Court judges who ruled she could not unilaterally trigger Brexit.

Speaking to media on her trip to Delhi, May also defended the freedom of newspapers to criticise public figures, after the Daily Mail faced criticism for using its front page to describe the judges as “enemies of the people”.

The High Court decided MPs must vote to trigger Brexit instead of the Government using the royal prerogative, as the Prime Minister had wished. The Government is set to appeal the decision in the Supreme Court.

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Labour has called on the Government to condemn the treatment of the story by some newspapers.

But speaking to reporters on her way to Delhi for a trade visit, May said: "I believe in and value the independence of our judiciary. I also value the freedom of our press. I think these both underpin our democracy and they are important.

"Of course the judges will look at the legal arguments. We think we have strong legal arguments and we will be taking those arguments to the Supreme Court."

Meanwhile Justice Secretary Liz Truss defended Lord Thomas, the Lord Chief Justice and one of the three judges who made the ruling, after UKIP leader Nigel Farage argued he was a pro-Remain campaigner.

“The Lord Chief Justice is a man of great integrity and impartiality. Like all judges, he has sworn an oath to administer the law without fear or favour, affection or ill will,” she said.

Elsewhere, the Government will officially respond to the High Court ruling in parliament today.

It insists its plan to trigger Article 50, which will start the ball rolling on Brexit negotiations with the EU, will not be derailed by the ruling.

Labour has insisted it will not delay the triggering of Article 50, following confusion over leader Jeremy Corbyn's stance after he appeared to set out a number of red lines.

But Michael Russell, Scotland's Brexit minister, said he could not imagine any circumstances in which SNP MPs would vote to invoke Article 50.