The child protection paediatrician David Southall has won an important Appeal Court ruling in his battle to overturn a decision by the UK General Medical Council striking him off the medical register.

Two judges ruled that his application for permission to appeal against a High Court judgment upholding the decision should be heard by a full three judge Court of Appeal, including a judge with a background in the High Court’s family division, which will also hear arguments from the GMC against granting him the go ahead to appeal.

Lord Justice Mummery said that the court was taking the unusual step of hearing the other side on the matter …