It might be barely seven years old, but the supreme court has weighed heavily on the constitutional scales to correct a perceived imbalance in the relationship between parliament, government and voters. “To proceed otherwise would be a breach of settled constitutional principles stretching back many centuries,” intoned Lord Neuberger on Tuesday as he reasserted the right of MPs to be consulted on whether Britain should begin the process of something as far-reaching as leaving the EU. Yet within minutes of the court judgment, parliament indicated it was not at all sure it was ready to assume such power – especially if it means facing down the result of the June referendum or a media consensus that only the directly expressed will of the people should be sovereign. “Labour respects the result of the referendum and the will of the British people and will not frustrate the process for invoking article 50,” said Jeremy Corbyn in a statement that swiftly closed off any meaningful likelihood of enough MPs opposing the government’s imminent Brexit bill. Though the government hopes a short vote on an even shorter piece of enabling legislation will now therefore be enough to proceed as before, there are growing…