British Prime Minister Theresa May's plans to bring Britain out of the European Union (EU) were thrown into chaos Thursday.

The High Court in London ruled that parliament, and not May's government, should trigger the Article 50 mechanism to start the Brexit process.

The decision by three of the leading judges in Britain sent shock waves through Westminster, with government officials now studying the full judgement.

Within an hour of the decision, the government confirmed it would appeal by taking the case to the highest court in England, the Supreme Court.

Government lawyers have been given permission to "fast track" an appeal by by-passing the Court of Appeal and going instead to the Supreme Court.

A time slot in early December has already been set aside for an appeal hearing, with all 11 law lords sitting to decide the case.

An official government spokesman expressed disappointment in the High Court's judgment.

"The country voted to leave the European Union in a referendum approved by an Act of Parliament," he said. "And the government is determined to respect the result of the referendum," said the spokesman.

It is not yet known whether May's stated aim to trigger Article 50 by the end of next March can now be met.

A group of individuals who took the case to law to challenge May's Brexit plans were jubilant at the decision, describing it as a victory for parliamentary democracy. They urged the government not to appeal the decision in the Supreme Court.

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