MPs assemble, PM dares Oppn
LONDON: The Boris Johnson government has sought to brazen it out after the UK Supreme Court said in a landmark ruling on Tuesday that the advice to Queen Elizabeth to prorogue parliament was “unlawful”.
On Wednesday, parliament reopened to more attacks on the government’s Brexit approach.
Johnson, who returned from New York, made a statement in the House of Commons amid claims that the government would move another motion to call a general election as a challenge to the opposition. Such a motion needs a two-third majority to pass.
He challenged the Opposition to call a no-confidence vote.
Labour and the opposition parties have insisted that they would support the motion only when the minority Johnson government takes steps to rule out leaving the EU on October 31 without an agreement by writing to Brussels to seek an extension to the date.
Geoffrey Cox, the attorney general, put up a combative performance as MPs questioned the government on the court’s ruling.
According to him, this parliament is “dead” and has “no moral right to sit”, as the day saw angry exchanges in the House.
Cox and other ministers said that the government would abide by the court’s ruling, but insisted that its approach on the prorogation had been “both lawful and constitutional” and Johnson had acted in “good faith”.
Cox revealed that an election motion would be placed before the House soon, most likely by Johnson after his address later on Wednesday, but did not provide details. A similar government motion earlier had failed to get a two-third majority.