London — The high court struck a blow to the British government’s plans to leave the EU, ruling on Thursday that it must seek parliament’s approval before starting exit talks in a landmark judgment that could delay Brexit. Three senior judges said Prime Minister Theresa May’s government did not have the power on its own to trigger article 50 of the EU’s Lisbon Treaty, the formal notification of Britain’s intention to leave. May has promised to begin the process by the end of March, but the ruling raises the prospect of a protracted parliamentary debate before then, in a chamber that overwhelmingly opposed Brexit and may seek to soften the break with the EU. The pound — which has tumbled to multiyear lows against its main rivals in recent weeks — soared against the dollar and euro, jumping above $1.24. Bank of England governor Mark Carney said that the ruling was "an example of the uncertainty that will characterise this process".
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