Lord Advocate James Wolffe says only parliament can trigger Brexit

Scotland's most senior law officer has told the Supreme Court that an act of parliament is required to trigger the UK's exit from the European Union.

Lord Advocate James Wolffe QC said the right to change the law of the land was set out as far back as the Treaty of Union when: "the power to change the laws of Scotland were given to parliament, and to those who parliament has authorised, and not to the Crown".

The UK government has stated its intention to trigger Article 50 in 2017, thereby setting in motion a two-year process for the country's withdrawal from the EU.