THE Welsh Government has launched a legal challenge against a refusal to allow a judicial review against a UK Government bill.

The news was announced today by counsel general and minister for the constitution Mick Antoniw.

In a statement, Mr Antoniw said the Welsh Government was taking steps to “protect the Senedd from the attack on its competence made by the UK Internal Market Act 2020”.

Continuing, he said that the act creates uncertainty surrounding the Senedd’s ability to legislate, and as a result, the Welsh Government started formal proceedings for a judicial review earlier this year.

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Although the Divisional Court threw out the request, saying it was premature, the Court of Appeal has now allowed this decision to be challenged.

The Act, which was passed by the UK Government in December 2020, concerns trade with the UK – introduced as a result of the United Kingdom’s departure from the European Union.

It was previously described by Michael Gove as “a measure to preserve the territorial integrity of the United Kingdom”, though it attracted criticism from the devolved governments.

The written statement issued today has confirmed that the Court of Appeal has allowed the Divisional Court decision to be challenged, saying that “there are compelling reasons for this appeal to be heard by the Court of Appeal and that the case raises important issues of principle going to the constitutional relationship between the Senedd and the Parliament of the UK.”

At this time, there is no date set for the hearing, though Mr Antoniw said that “We expect a hearing will be listed in due course."