LONDON: Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s suspension of the British parliament was unlawful, a Scottish court ruled on Wednesday, prompting immediate calls for lawmakers to return to work as the government and parliament battle over the future of Brexit.
Scotland’s highest court of appeal ruled that Johnson’s decision to prorogue, or suspend, parliament from Monday until Oct. 14 was unlawful — a blow for the government as it seeks to leave the European Union on Oct. 31 with or without a deal.
With seven weeks until Britain is due to leave the EU, the government and parliament are locked in conflict over the future of Brexit, with possible outcomes ranging from leaving without a deal to another referendum that could cancel the divorce.
“We are calling for parliament to be recalled immediately,” said Scottish National Party lawmaker Joanna Cherry, who led the challenge, after the verdict by Scotland’s Court of Session. “You cannot break the law with impunity, Boris Johnson.”
The government said it would appeal against the ruling to the Supreme Court, the United Kingdom’s highest judicial body.
Opponents said the real reason was to shut down debate and challenges to his Brexit plans.
