The Guardian view on Julian Assange: time to dial this process down | Editorial

The high court decision to allow an appeal against extradition is good news. But a political resolution to this saga needs to be sought

Given the real possibility of his extradition within days to face espionage charges in the United States, Monday's high court decision granting JulianAssange leave to appeal was a last-ditch victory for good sense. Mr Assange and his lawyers now have some months of breathing space, during which the search for a political resolution to his case can continue. Fourteen years into this protracted saga, that would be by far the mostdesirable outcome.

Handing Mr Assange a legal lifeline, the high court rightly judged US assurances that Mr Assange could seek" to rely in court on first amendment protections to be less than a guarantee. Its decision, though related to Mr Assange's status as a non-US national, underlined the broader risks of pursuing a trial on the basis of charges put together by Donald Trump's justicedepartment in 2019.

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