UK Supreme Court rules Boris Johnson's suspension of Parliament was unlawful
LONDON – Britain's highest court ruled Tuesday that Prime Minster Boris Johnson's decision to suspend Parliament for five weeks was unlawful.
The decision could have wide-ranging political ramifications for Britain's efforts to leave the European Union – Brexit – and Johnson, who is attending the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Johnson has insisted the move to suspend Parliament until Oct. 14 was routine, reflected his legislative agenda and was not related to Brexit.
"The effect on the fundamentals of democracy was extreme," said Lady Hale, president of Britain's Supreme Court, in announcing the verdict.
Johnson said he "strongly disagrees" with the ruling, that effectively says he misled Queen Elizabeth II when he asked her to suspend Parliament, but will respect it.
Britain's Brexit deadline is Oct. 31.
The speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, said he had instructed lawmakers to "prepare for the resumption of business" on Wednesday.
"What will come next is anyone's guess but I'll be very surprised if Johnson doesn't have another card up his sleeve," said Craig Erlam, a market analyst at Oanda, an online brokerage, in emailed comments. The Brexit soap opera is just getting started."
Technically, Johnson can try again to "prorogue" or suspend Parliament.
Opposition party leaders have called for his resignation.
"Boris Johnson has been found to have misled the country. This unelected prime minister should now resign," Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said.
Johnson told reporters traveling with him to the U.N. on Monday that "Parliament has had three years to discuss this issue – and will be able to come back and discuss Brexit after the European Council (summit) on October the 17 and 18."
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Johnson is an outspoken Brexit advocate willing to leave the EU without a deal. He has been at odds with Parliament, which has passed a law requiring the government to seek an extension to the Brexit deadline if no Brexit deal is reached by Oct. 19. He has vowed not to do that, though he says the government will obey the law.
The suspension of Parliament sparked several legal challenges, to which lower courts have given contradictory rulings. England’s High Court said the move was a political rather than a legal matter, but Scottish court judges ruled that Johnson acted illegally.
Brexit's critics, and even some of its supporters, worry if Britain leaves the EU on Oct. 31 without a formal withdrawal agreement in place it could have serious negative consequences for Britain's economy and could lead to chaos on its borders. Johnson has disputed those claims and said his government is prepared for a "no-deal" Brexit.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: UK Supreme Court rules Boris Johnson's Parliament suspension unlawful
