Court rejects bid to stop PM Johnson’s suspension of parliament

London’s High Court on Friday rejected a legal challenge against
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s suspension of parliament
before Brexit but said it could still be taken to the Supreme Court
for a final appeal.

Johnson announced at the end of August that he would suspend
parliament from mid-September to mid-October, just before Britain
is due to leave the EU on October 31, so the government could
announce a new legislative programme.

That prompted campaigner Gina Miller, who defeated the
government over another Brexit issue two years ago, to bring a
legal challenge.

She was later joined in the process by former Prime Minister
John Major and opposition political parties.

Miller said outside court that parliament should be sitting
during such a crucial time for Britain’s democracy, and she would
not give up the fight.

“The Supreme Court has pencilled on September 17 for the appeal
hearing,” she said. “My legal team and I will not give up the fight
for democracy.”

Miller’s lawyer, David Pannick, argued on Thursday that comments
from Johnson showed an important part of his reasoning for the
prorogation, or suspension, was that parliament might say or do
something that impeded the government’s Brexit plans.

The legal challenge has lost some of its impacts after lawmakers
voted this week to force Johnson to seek a three-month delay to
Brexit rather than leave without an agreement on October 31, a move
that is likely to lead to an election.

Separate legal challenges to Johnson’s Brexit plans are also
being heard in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

(Reuters/NAN)

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