LONDON, Sept 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Britain’s Supreme Court will rule on Tuesday whether Prime Minister Boris Johnson acted unlawfully in suspending parliament, in a seismic case that could have profound implications for Brexit and the country’s constitutional foundations.
If the verdict goes against Johnson, it could see parliament rapidly reassemble and would inevitably trigger questions about his position, having unlawfully advised Queen Elizabeth II to suspend parliament.
It would be the latest hammer blow to his plans for taking Britain out of the European Union on Oct 31, and pile huge pressure on his minority government.
It would also raise questions about whether he could hold out as premier long enough to face a general election, which recent polls suggest he could win with a large majority.
His setbacks in parliament and the courts have so far only increased his polling numbers, burnishing his reputation among those who voted to leave the EU, but his popularity could dwindle if he is blamed for dragging the Queen into the fray.
Whatever the decision, it is likely to provoke frenzied reaction, stoking up tensions in an already divided country.
Johnson, who took office on July 24, insists suspending parliament was a routine and long-overdue move to launch a fresh legislative programme.
His opponents claim he did so to silence opposition to his plans to take Britain out of the EU, with or without a divorce deal with Brussels.
Scotland’s highest civil court found the suspension was unlawful, but the High Court in England said it was not a matter for judges.
The 11 Supreme Court judges must decide whether it even has the power to rule on such a case, before coming to any decision on the legality of the move. — NNN-AGENCIES
