High Court throws out Gina Miller's legal bid to block suspension of Parliament
2 min read
Senior judges have thrown out a legal attempt to stop Boris Johnson suspending Parliament.
In a rare boost at the end of a torrid week for the Prime Minister, the High Court ruled that he had been within his rights to prorogue for five weeks.
Anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller, backed by former PM Sir John Major, had accused Mr Johnson of "an unlawful use of power".
But on Friday morning, three High Court judges ruled that the Prime Minister had not acted illegally - although they have granted Ms Miller leave to appeal.
Speaking outside the court, Ms Miller said: "As our politics becomes ever more chaotic, we feel it is absolutely vital that Parliament should be sitting.
"We are therefore pleased that the judges have given us permission to appeal to the Appeal Court, which we will be doing."
The High Court judgement comes just two days after a similar legal action was thrown out at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.
Lord Doherty told the court: "In my view, the advice give in relation to the prorogation decision is a matter involving high policy and political judgement. This is political territory and decision making which cannot be measured against legal standards, but only by political judgements.
"Accountability for the advice is to Parliament and ultimately to the electorate, and not to the courts."
Mr Johnson sparked a political row when he unveiled his prorogation plan last week.
He insisted it was necessary to allow a Queen's Speech on 14 October setting out the Government's domestic agenda.
But critics insisted it was a cynical attempt to limit MPs' opportunities to prevent a no-deal Brexit.
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