Article 50 won’t be triggered this year

However he said the government’s position on the matter was subject to change.

New Prime Minister Theresa May (pictured) won’t trigger Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty this year, government lawyer Jason Coppell told the High Court today.

However he said the government’s position on the matter was subject to change.

Invoking Article 50 will officially start the UK’s two year divorce from the European Union after the vote to leave last month.

Coppell said: "The current position is that notification will not occur before the end of 2016."

A number of individuals are legally challenging the process of Brexit, with it being argued that only parliament and not the Prime Minister has the authority to trigger Article 50.