Boris Johnson’s government will abide by the Supreme Court’s ruling on Parliament’s suspension when its verdict is delivered this week, according to Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab.
The ruling on whether the prime minister’s move to prorogue was unlawful is due this week. Anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller has asked judges for a repeat of the declaration from Edinburgh’s Court of Session that the PM’s actions were “null and void and of no legal effect”.
Appearing on BBC’s Andrew Marr Show yesterday, Raab said: “Of course we will respect whatever the legal ruling is from the Supreme Court. But I think we are getting a little bit ahead of ourselves.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world – and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda – try The Week magazine. Get your first six issues for £6
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Raab said there are “different permutations as to what the Supreme Court may or may not decide,” in the coming days and added that “later in the week we’ll obviously want to look at that very carefully”.
He reiterated that “of course we are going to abide by a Supreme Court judgement”.
However, asked if prorogation would be deployed again if Johnson wins, Raab said he did not want “to take levers off the table”. The Independent points out that Raab “dodged the question” of a further prorogation twice.
This echoed women’s minister Victoria Atkins, who repeatedly said she would not be drawn on the question last week. Asked on BBC’s Question Time, she said: “Please, I’m going to play with a very, very straight bat on this one and just say I can’t comment further until the judgement.”
Jeremy Corbyn says the Labour party would “obviously oppose” a second prorogation and confirmed he will “work with the other opposition parties, as we have up to now” if Johnson tried to shut down Parliament for a second time.
Meanwhile, former prime minister David Cameron has warned Johnson that breaking the law “is not a good idea”.
Speaking to Sky News, Cameron said: “No deal is not a good idea. Breaking the law is not a good idea. Focus everything you’ve got on getting that deal, and that’s what he’s doing, to be fair to him.”
