Prime Minister Boris Johnson shut down the British parliament unlawfully for a crucial five weeks in the lead-up to Brexit, the UK’s Supreme Court has ruled.
"The effect upon the fundamentals of our democracy was extreme," court president Lady Hale said in a summary of the court's decision, which was unanimous among the 11 judges. The only crumb of comfort for the government was that the court did not rule Johnson had deliberately misled the Queen, because it only looked at the effect of the suspension, not the motive for it.
In late August Johnson called the Queen on the phone and advised her to order that Parliament be prorogued – suspended – from September 9 to mid-October. The court's decision means the prorogation order was null and void - as if, the court said, it had been a "blank sheet of paper".On Tuesday, House of Commons speaker John Bercow reportedly said he would do so immediately.
Lawyers for a group of MPs and activists argued Johnson’s advice to the Queen was unlawful because it removed one of the pillars of parliamentary democracy.
Go Boris, I love a rebel.
Has the court the power to rule this? There has been so much squabbling, there had to be a break. The precious little souls cannot stand not gas-bagging on a daily basis. Napoleon thought parliament full of talkers. not doers. Despite Napoleon we need parliaments BUT.........
It‘s not unlawful, Queen signed off on it, part of the constitution that has been used before
RESIGN.
The UK is doomed ... what a joke. This would nearly make me start to think about the republic position for Australia. I respect our past but what’s going on over there is nuts!
If he had any respect for himself, his party, Parliament, the Queen, or his country, Johnson would resign. He won’t.
Cue conservative outrage & nut-baggery in 3-2-1....
LockHimUp!
What happens now?
Is Burning at the stake still in vogue?
BYE BYE DEMOCRACY IN THE UK IS DEAD