Boris ‘plotted to suspend Parliament for weeks’ before admitting move

BORIS Johnson considered in mid-August whether to suspend Parliament, despite denying the plan soon afterwards, court papers revealed yesterday.

The details emerged in a case brought at the Court of Session in Edinburgh which is intended to halt the proroguing of Parliament.

A note was submitted to the court dated August 15 written by Nikki da Costa, the director of legislative affairs at No 10.

In the memo, seen by the Prime Minister and his chief adviser Dominic Cummings, she asked if an approach should be made to prorogue Parliament between September 9 and October 14.

The word ‘Yes’ written on the document is thought to have been put there by Mr Johnson. In a reply the next day, he described the September session of Parliament as a ‘rigmarole’ merely meant to show that MPs were ‘earning their crust’. Miss da Costa’s memo was dated ten days before the Government denied a Press report that the Prime Minister had asked for legal advice on a five-week shutdown of Parliament from September 9.

In the end, the Queen met Privy Council members at Balmoral on August 28 to approve the controversial move.

The court case was brought by 75 anti-No Deal MPs and peers.

Their barrister, Aiden O’Neill QC, claimed that prorogation is intended to let No Deal take place without scrutiny, adding that Mr Johnson was trying to govern as an ‘autocracy’.

The judge, Lord Doherty, is expected to give his ruling in the case today.