Decision to suspend UK parliament was 'unlawful': Supreme Court

The British Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's decision to suspend parliament for five weeks was illegal.

Britain's Parliament buildings are seen behind the high fences in London, Monday, Sept. 9, 2019. [Photo: IC]

The unanimous decision of 11 Supreme Court judges in London means parliament can now be recalled from the five-week shutdown imposed by Johnson.

The court's decision is expected to lead to calls for Johnson to resign as prime minister.

The main opposition leader, Labour's Jeremy Corbyn, said Johnson should now consider his position, a signal that the prime minister should resign. The Scottish Nationalist Party also said Johnson should go.

President of the Supreme Court Lady Brenda Hale announced the ruling after hearing three days of intensive legal argument on the way Johnson advised Queen Elizabeth II to prorogue, or suspend, parliament earlier this month.

Lady Hale said the unanimous decision meant the parliament was not prorogued and it will be up to the speakers of the House of Commons and House of Lords what to do next.

She said the government had not justified such a long prorogation of five weeks, against a normal suspension of four or five days.

The advice given by the prime minister to the British monarch was "unlawful, void and of no effect," Lady Hale said.

That means the order to prorogue the British parliament was also "unlawful, void and of no effect," she added.

Lady Hale said it is now up to the Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow and the Speaker of the House of Lords to decide what happens next.

Within minutes of the ruling being announced, Bercow said the House of Commons must be recalled as soon as possible. He said he would consult the leaders of political parties at Westminster as a matter of urgency.

Although such a decision meant a speedy recall of parliament, the House of Commons has already been suspended to allow politicians to attend annual conferences of their respective political parties.

The main opposition Labour Party is currently holding a conference in the city of Brighton, which will end Wednesday after Corbyn delivers his keynote speech.

The governing Conservatives will hold their conference next week in the city of Manchester.

Recently, the government's opponents have been arguing that Johnson deliberately shut down parliament as a way of dodging lawmakers' scrutiny of his plans to bring Britain out of the European Union with or without a deal by Oct. 31.