The United Kingdom Supreme Court has delivered a huge blow to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. In a case regarding the legality of the suspension of the UK Parliament, the court decided to rule against the government.
The courts were called to intervene when the parliament was abruptly suspended by the government after getting a royal assent from Queen Elizabeth II. The Queen had been advised by the prime minister to suspend the parliament.
The parliament had been suspended for a duration of five weeks and was supposed o reconvene days before the Brexit deadline of October 31st. While many people speculate the reasoning given to the Queen, it is said that it was a move done by the Johnson Government to block the parliament from voting against a ‘no-deal’ Brexit.
The parliament had managed to see the request of general election sought by the prime minister failing twice. This was the first of many defeats that Boris Johnson had been given by the Parliament.
The Parliament still was able to manage to pass a law forcing the government to seek an extension in an event of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit.
The MPs had then asked the courts while an England court had ruled against the MPs, a Scottish Court had managed to rule its decision against the UK government. This is what led to the petitions of the MPs to the UK Supreme Court which has now delivered its decision.
According to a report in the BBC, the court ruling had been unanimous and called the suspension ‘unlawful’. Lady Hale, one of the eleven judges presiding over the case, had said “The decision to advise Her Majesty to prorogue Parliament was unlawful because it had the effect of frustrating or preventing the ability of Parliament to carry out its constitutional functions without reasonable justification.”
What happens next?
With the courts now calling the suspension as null and void, the Speakers of the House of Commons and the House of Lords will decide on when to resume business. Commons Speaker John Bercow had advised the members of the parliament to reconvene on Wednesday.
Many MPs would now have the chance to put the government under scrutiny over its plans regarding Brexit. Prime Minister Boris Johnson who is currently in the United States will have a tough task ahead as now the Parliament has reconvened which means he can be asked by the MPs to disclose his plan of actions with regards to finalising a deal with the European Union.
Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn can also use this moment to start building a base of no-confidence against the government. After getting the backing of the Labour Party regarding his Brexit strategy, Corbyn might actually bring a motion against the government further putting the Prime Minister under pressure.
With the calls asking for his resignation made, it is a long path to walk for the Prime Minister after coming back from the United Nations.
(Inputs from Agencies)