Jeremy Corbyn tells Boris Johnson to consider quitting as he demands immediate recall of Parliament
4 min read
Jeremy Corbyn has urged Boris Johnson to consider resigning as Prime Minister after the Supreme Court ruled that his decision to suspend Parliament was "unlawful".
In a major blow for the PM, the 11 judges unanimously agreed that his true motivation was to stop Parliament from carrying out "its constitutional functions" by being able to hold the Government to account over its Brexit plans.
Mr Corbyn responded moments later in a surprise address to the Labour conference in Brighton, saying Mr Johnson had demonstrated "a contempt for democracy and an abuse of power".
The Labour leader added: “I will be in touch shortly to demand that Parliament is recalled so we can question the Prime Minister, demand that he obey the law that has been passed by Parliament and recognise that Parliament has been elected by the people...
"I implore Boris Johnson, in the historic words, ‘to consider his position’, and become the shortest serving Prime Minister there has ever been."
Delivering the court's judgement, Supreme Court president Lady Hale said: "The court is bound to conclude that 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."
She added: "Unless there is some parliamentary rule of which we are unaware, they can take immediate steps to enable each House to meet as soon as possible."
House of Commons Speaker John Bercow responded: "In reaching their conclusion, they have vindicated the right and duty of Parliament to meet at this crucial time to scrutinise the executive and hold Ministers to account.
"As the embodiment of our Parliamentary democracy, the House of Commons must convene without delay. To this end, I will now consult the party leaders as a matter of urgency."
Shadow Brexit Secretary Keir Starmer said of the ruling: "As soon as the Speaker indicates that Parliament is open we will head back to Westminster and we will continue to challenge and hopefully to defeat the Prime Minister.
“But nobody should underestimate the strength of this judgement and the extent to which it shows Boris Johnson has not only broken the law, but done it in such a way that this court has come to a judgment as strong as it has.”
The Supreme Court was asked to consider two appeals, with anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller challenging a High Court ruling that the Government’s decision to prorogue Parliament was outside of its remit.
However, a separate case heard at the Court of Session in Edinburgh found that the Prime Minister’s advice to the Queen on suspending Parliament had been “unlawful”.
PM POSITION 'UNTENABLE'
SNP MP Joanna Cherry, who brought the Court of Session case along with more than 70 other cross-party MPs, said the decision was "momentous" and urged MPs to return to the Commons.
She added: "The highest court in the United Kingdom has unanimously found that his advice given to Her Majesty the Queen was unlawful, his position is untenable and he should have the guts for once to do the decent thing and resign."
Labour MP Ian Murray, who was also among the petitioners in the Court of Session case, said: “The Prime Minister lied and politicised the Queen. He now has no option but to resign."
Gina Miller, who headed up the English case, in which judges at the high court found the government had not broken the law, added: "The ruling today speaks volumes.
"This Prime Minister must open the doors of Parliament tomorrow, MPs must get back and be brave and bold to hold this unscrumptious government to account."
'GROSS MISBEHAVIOUR'
Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson added: “The court have found what we all knew all along, Boris Johnson has again proven he is not fit to be Prime Minister.
"This shutdown was an unlawful act designed to stop Parliament doing its job and holding the Government to account.
“Given this verdict, Parliament should be sitting so that we can continue to question the Conservative Government on their disastrous Brexit plans.”
Former Attorney General, Dominic Grieve, who was sacked from the Tory party for rebelling over Brexit earlier this month added: “I’m not surprised by the judgment because of the gross misbehaviour from the Prime Minister…
“It’s perfectly obvious that the reasoning and the motivation for the prorogation, suspending Parliament, was bogus, and untrue, and the reasons given. And I’m delighted the Supreme Court has stopped this unconstitutional act in its tracks.”
Speaking in New York before the decision was announced, Mr Johnson insisted he had been “absolutely right” to prorogue Parliament - and insisted he would not be forced to resign over the row.
He said: "When it comes to parliamentary scrutiny, what are we losing? Four or five days of parliamentary scrutiny when Parliament has had three years to discuss issues and will be able to come back and discuss Brexit after the European Council on October 17-18.
"It is absolutely nonsense to say there will be no parliamentary scrutiny."
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