More than 70 MPs and peers have joined forced to call on the courts to rule that suspending Parliament to allow the UK to leave without a deal would be “unlawful and unconstitutional”.

At a preliminary hearing today, Lord Doherty agreed to expedite the timetable for the legal challenge to take place, setting the date for the substantive hearing as Friday September 6.

Counsel for the petitioners, David Welsh, told Scottish Legal News: “The aim of today’s hearing was to prevent the important issues raised by the petition being rendered academic by the effluxion of time and to prevent the issues being overshadowed by a potential exposure to expenses.

“The court’s decision today to expedite the procedure and to grant a protective expenses order provides the petitioners with reassurance on both fronts.”

Petitioner Ian Murray, Labour MP for Edinburgh South, said: “The courts are there to enhance our democracy by giving the public the ability to hold the government to account.

“It’s great progress to have a full hearing in September before the Prime Minister can consider closing down Parliament to force through a no deal Brexit. Congratulations thus far to the legal team.”