The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Top Scottish lawman seeking to have say in Brexit hearings
Scotland’s top law officer wants to intervene in the legal challenge to stop Parliament being suspended before the Brexit deadline to argue it would be an abuse of power.
The Lord Advocate has lodged applications asking to make representations at both today’s Edinburgh Court of Session hearing and in the case at the High Court in London on Thursday.
The hearing in Edinburgh wants the Court of Session to rule Boris Johnson cannot prorogue Parliament to limit the chances of MPs stopping no-deal.
A cross-party group of MPs and peers are backing the legal challenge, which will be heard today after Lord Doherty brought the date forward “in the interest of justice”.
If the application by James Wolffe QC – the current Lord Advocate – is successful, he is expected to argue that the UK Government’s prorogation of Westminster prevents scrutiny and is an abuse of executive power.
Commenting on the move, the Scottish Government’s Constitutional Affairs Secretary Michael Russell said: “Accountable government is a fundamental principle of our democracy.
“This attempt to suspend the UK Parliament at such a critical time is a clear attempt to silence opposition and must be resisted.
“The democratic wishes of the Scottish people and Scottish Parliament should not be allowed to be brushed aside.”
Mr Wolffe’s second application, to the High Court relates to legal action brought by anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller, which is scheduled for Thursday.