UK's top judge gives thanks for the court's Belfast visit

Lady Hale thanked “the Lord Chief Justice for Northern Ireland for his support for our visit, the Bar Council of course for allowing us to use what is basically your premises,” and others including “the Law Society, the universities, the legal profession, the media, and particularly those members of the public who have shown an interest in our work”.

She said: “I hope that our time here has enabled everybody to understand the Supreme Court, what it does and how it does it better than they might have done just by watching us on the internet.”

Lady Hale added: “This is only the second time that the Supreme Court has sat outside London. I recognise it is still something of a novelty, we are finding our way.

“But of course when we come back it will all go completely smoothly because we will all know what to do next.

“We have been very heartened by the interest in our work and we shall now adjourn to consider our judgment in this case [Ashers ‘gay cake’ appeal] that we have just heard.”

The answer would not come soon, she said. “This is not to say we don’t hope that it might be before the summer but these cases are by definition complex and difficult.”

Morning View: Court’s temporary relocation to NI was huge success