WATCH: Boris Johnson denies lying to Queen over suspension of Parliament
4 min read
Boris Johnson has denied that he lied to the Queen over the reasons for suspending Parliament.
The Prime Minister insisted it is "absolutely not" true to say he and his ministers misled the monarch over the prorogation order she signed last month.
And he also slapped down business minister Kwasi Kwarteng by insisting that judges are impartial.
Speaking after the Court of Session in Scotland had said advice given to the Queen was "unlawful", Mr Johnson said: “The High Court in England plainly agrees with us but the Supreme Court will have to decide.
"We need a Queen's Speech, we need to get on and do all sorts of things at a national level."
He added: "Parliament will have time both before and after that crucial summit on October 17th and 18th to talk about the Brexit deal.
"I'm very hopeful that we will get a deal, as I say, at that crucial summit. We're working very hard - I've been around the European capitals talking to our friends.
"I think we can see the rough area of a landing space, of how you can do it - it will be tough, it will be hard, but I think we can get there."
The PM also said he disagreed with comments made by Mr Kwarteng on Wednesday that "many people" believed the courts were not impartial over rulings on Brexit - but that he did not believe that himself.
“The British judiciary is one of the great glories of our constitution, they are independent. And believe me, around the world people look at our judges with awe and admiration, so I’m not going to quarrel or criticise the judges," Mr Johnson said.
“It’s very important that we respect the independence of the judiciary.
"They are learned people, there is a separation of powers in this country and judges have their views, obviously I disagree with the particular opinion that has come forward but there is going to be a further adjudication by the Supreme Court and we should wait and see what they say.”
Mr Johnson, who made the comments as he visited a lighthouse tending ship moored alongside HMS Belfast on the Thames, also downplayed the contents of the Operation Yellowhammer documents.
'IT'S JUST SENSIBLE PREPARATIONS'
The Government was forced to release their assessments of the impact of a no-deal Brexit after losing a vote in Parliament, which warn there could be a shortage of fresh food and medicine in the UK.
Mr Johnson said: "It is very important to understand what this document is: this is a worst-case scenario which civil servants obviously have to prepare for, but in the last few months, and particularly in the 50 days since I've been Prime Minister, we've been massively accelerating our preparations.
"We're trying to get a deal and I'm very hopeful that we will get a deal with our European friends on October 17th or 18th or thereabouts.
"But if we have to come out on October 31st with no-deal we will be ready and the ports will be ready and the farming communities will be ready, and all the industries that matter will be ready for a no-deal Brexit.
"What you're looking at here is just the sensible preparations - the worst-case scenario - that you'd expect any government to do.
"In reality we will certainly be ready for a no-deal Brexit if we have to do it and I stress again that's not where we intend to end up."
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