Outrage as court backs Remainers to rule Commons shutdown illegal
BREXIT supporters were furious last night after a Scottish court ruled that Boris Johnson’s decision to trigger a parliamentary break was illegal.
The Court of Session in Edinburgh declared that the prorogation ending Commons sittings until October 14 was carried out for the “improper purpose of stymying Parliament”.
The Government immediately launched an appeal to the Supreme Court in London, which will rule on the case next week.
Remain-backing MPs, who claim the prorogation was used to silence debate about Brexit, demanded a recall of Parliament.
But Brexiteers last night questioned whether Scottish judges should be meddling in the political process at Westminster.
Contempt
Brexit Party MEP John Longworth, chairman of the Leave Means Leave campaign, said: “The Scottish court ruling shows the anti-Brexit Establishment is hard at work.”
And Tory MP Henry Smith said: “The courts should be blind to party politics. The courts are not there to do the SNP’s bidding.”
Tory MP Nigel Evans hit out at Remainer MPs who supported the legal action in the Scottish court. He said: “These MPs love going to the courts but they seem to be afraid of going to the court of public opinion through a general election. They know it would find them guilty of contempt.”
Judge Lord Carloway earlier told the court: “We are of the opinion that the advice given by the Government to Her Majesty the Queen to prorogue Parliament was unlawful and that the prorogation itself was unlawful.”
Downing
Street said:
“We are disappointed by today’s decision, and will appeal to the UK Supreme Court. The UK Government needs to bring forward a strong domestic legislative agenda. Proroguing Parliament is the legal way of delivering this.”
The PM’s spokesman said the Government would abide by the Supreme Court ruling, which is also considering an appeal against a ruling by the London High Court which found the prorogation was lawful.
Parliament will remain suspended pending the Supreme Court decision expected next Tuesday.
Mr Johnson’s decision to ask the Queen to prorogue effectively lengthened the Commons autumn break for the party conference season by about a week.
Yet his opponents have condemned the move as an attempt to avoid scrutiny as the October 31 Brexit deadline date approaches.
Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer said: “What Boris Johnson should do is to urgently recall Parliament.
“We should be back there this afternoon, or tomorrow, so we can debate this judgment, and we can decide what to do next.”
Tory Remainer rebel Dominic Grieve said: “If the Government had misled the Queen about the reasons for suspending Parliament and the motives for it, that would be a very serious matter.
“It would then be the moment for Mr Johnson to resign and very swiftly.” Liberal Democrat MP Tom Brake said prorogation had been “nothing more than a power grab”.