Supreme Court judgement on ‘unlawful’ prorogation of Parliament a ‘shattering indictment of Prime Minister’s integrity’

Earlier this month Boris Johnson prorogued Parliament for five weeks, but this was criticised by many as a move designed to avoid scrutiny over Brexit in the run up to the October 31 deadline.

The MP was declared to have acted unlawfully when he advised the Queen to suspend Parliament in the Supreme Court verdict that declared the prorogation ‘void and of no effect’.

The ruling sets the stage for MPs to return to the House of Commons tomorrow (Wednesday September 25).

Reacting to the news, Eastbourne MP Stephen Lloyd said: “The judgement from the Supreme Court is an absolutely shattering indictment on Prime Minister Johnson’s integrity and the government’s action.

“Clearly we are in completely unchartered territory constitutionally, but nothing can take away the fact eleven of the most senior judges in our country found that the government undertook an illegal act in suspending Parliament at this critical time.

“I will be joining colleagues from across all parties and returning to Westminster tomorrow morning.”

Mr Johnson, who has only been PM for months, is already facing calls from opposition leaders to resign.

Former Eastbourne MP and Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate Caroline Ansell argued the Supreme Court decision ‘changes nothing when it comes to Brexit and how to move forward and honour the referendum result’.

She said: “Parliament can now come back earlier to scrutinise the government’s Brexit policy and ask ministers questions about it - bravo.

“But, in reality, Parliament wants to come back to have more time to try and overturn the referendum result and what it voted for in the first place while continuing to tie the hands of the Prime Minister in any negotiations with the EU.”

She concluded: “Nothing will be achieved by this so-called victory. What a mess. We must have a general election now.”