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| Boris Johnson’s Suspension of Parliament Was Unlawful, U.K. Supreme Court Rules | Boris Johnson’s Suspension of Parliament Was Unlawful, U.K. Supreme Court Rules |
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| LONDON — The British Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson illegally suspended Parliament, dealing him another heavy blow and thrusting the nation’s politics into even deeper turmoil, barely a month before Britain could leave the European Union. | LONDON — The British Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson illegally suspended Parliament, dealing him another heavy blow and thrusting the nation’s politics into even deeper turmoil, barely a month before Britain could leave the European Union. |
| The court ruled unanimously that the suspension of Parliament until Oct. 14 was void and that the lawmakers were therefore still in session and could continue the debate over Brexit that Mr. Johnson short-circuited when he asked the queen to suspend, or prorogue, Parliament for five weeks. | The court ruled unanimously that the suspension of Parliament until Oct. 14 was void and that the lawmakers were therefore still in session and could continue the debate over Brexit that Mr. Johnson short-circuited when he asked the queen to suspend, or prorogue, Parliament for five weeks. |
| The decision delivered a legal and political jolt to Britain, where the courts have historically avoided politics and where, unlike in the United States, there is little precedent for judicial review of government decisions. That record had led political and legal analysts to speculate that the court might decide that it had no authority to rule on the prime minister’s actions, or might arrive at a mixed judgment. | The decision delivered a legal and political jolt to Britain, where the courts have historically avoided politics and where, unlike in the United States, there is little precedent for judicial review of government decisions. That record had led political and legal analysts to speculate that the court might decide that it had no authority to rule on the prime minister’s actions, or might arrive at a mixed judgment. |
| Instead, the judges made a landmark decision to step into the middle of a fierce political clash, and delivered a resounding defeat for the prime minister and an unequivocal victory to his critics. Reporters and analysts on British news sites and broadcast channels resorted time and again to the word “unprecedented.” | Instead, the judges made a landmark decision to step into the middle of a fierce political clash, and delivered a resounding defeat for the prime minister and an unequivocal victory to his critics. Reporters and analysts on British news sites and broadcast channels resorted time and again to the word “unprecedented.” |
| Lady Hale, the president of the court, speaking for the 11-judge panel that heard the case, said, “The decision to advise Her Majesty to prorogue Parliament was unlawful because it had the effect of frustrating or preventing the ability of Parliament to carry out its constitutional functions without reasonable justification.” | Lady Hale, the president of the court, speaking for the 11-judge panel that heard the case, said, “The decision to advise Her Majesty to prorogue Parliament was unlawful because it had the effect of frustrating or preventing the ability of Parliament to carry out its constitutional functions without reasonable justification.” |
| “The prime minister’s advice to Her Majesty was unlawful, void and of no effect,” she added. “Parliament has not been prorogued.” | “The prime minister’s advice to Her Majesty was unlawful, void and of no effect,” she added. “Parliament has not been prorogued.” |
| The speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, who presides over debate, said the chamber would reconvene on Wednesday — nearly three weeks earlier than the schedule Mr. Johnson had set. | The speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, who presides over debate, said the chamber would reconvene on Wednesday — nearly three weeks earlier than the schedule Mr. Johnson had set. |
| Showing no sign of being chastened by the ruling, Mr. Johnson did not rule out suspending Parliament again, but did not specify when. “I strongly disagree with this decision of the Supreme Court,” he told reporters in New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly. | Showing no sign of being chastened by the ruling, Mr. Johnson did not rule out suspending Parliament again, but did not specify when. “I strongly disagree with this decision of the Supreme Court,” he told reporters in New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly. |
| “I think the most important thing is that we get on and deliver Brexit on Oct. 31, and clearly the claimants in this case are determined to try to frustrate that,” he added. | “I think the most important thing is that we get on and deliver Brexit on Oct. 31, and clearly the claimants in this case are determined to try to frustrate that,” he added. |
| Mr. Johnson has suffered an extraordinary string of legal and political defeats since becoming prime minister in July. He lost in a succession of Parliamentary votes, lost his majority in the House of Commons and lost the support of some members of his Conservative Party — including his own brother. | Mr. Johnson has suffered an extraordinary string of legal and political defeats since becoming prime minister in July. He lost in a succession of Parliamentary votes, lost his majority in the House of Commons and lost the support of some members of his Conservative Party — including his own brother. |
| A new threat emerged over the weekend, when The Sunday Times of London reported that when Mr. Johnson was mayor of London, his office directed government grants and coveted spots in trade delegations to an entrepreneur, a young woman, whose apartment he often visited during working hours. | A new threat emerged over the weekend, when The Sunday Times of London reported that when Mr. Johnson was mayor of London, his office directed government grants and coveted spots in trade delegations to an entrepreneur, a young woman, whose apartment he often visited during working hours. |
| This month, an English court ruled that the judiciary could not pass judgment on how or why Mr. Johnson had suspended Parliament. But days later, Scotland’s highest civil court ruled that the suspension was an unlawful effort to stymie debate before the Oct. 31 Brexit date, which Mr. Johnson had pledged to meet even if Britain and Brussels did not reach an agreement on the terms. | This month, an English court ruled that the judiciary could not pass judgment on how or why Mr. Johnson had suspended Parliament. But days later, Scotland’s highest civil court ruled that the suspension was an unlawful effort to stymie debate before the Oct. 31 Brexit date, which Mr. Johnson had pledged to meet even if Britain and Brussels did not reach an agreement on the terms. |
| On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled that Mr. Johnson’s action was unjustified and that his motive did not matter. | On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ruled that Mr. Johnson’s action was unjustified and that his motive did not matter. |
| The judges “have vindicated the right and duty of Parliament to meet at this crucial time to scrutinize the executive and hold ministers to account,” Mr. Bercow said. “As the embodiment of our parliamentary democracy, the House of Commons must convene without delay.” | The judges “have vindicated the right and duty of Parliament to meet at this crucial time to scrutinize the executive and hold ministers to account,” Mr. Bercow said. “As the embodiment of our parliamentary democracy, the House of Commons must convene without delay.” |
| Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the opposition Labour Party, said the court had documented “a contempt for democracy and an abuse of power” by Mr. Johnson, adding that he would “demand that Parliament is recalled.” At the party’s annual conference, Mr. Corbyn was scheduled to give his big speech on Wednesday, but delivered it on Tuesday afternoon, instead. | |
| “This unelected prime minister should now resign,” he told party members, prompting chants of “Johnson out.” | |
| The timing of Parliament’s return is doubly bad for Mr. Johnson because the Conservatives are scheduled to hold their annual conference early next week to showcase the party’s policies ahead of a possible general election. Unless the prime minister can assemble an unlikely majority to suspend Parliament again, that set-piece event may now clash with parliamentary proceedings. | The timing of Parliament’s return is doubly bad for Mr. Johnson because the Conservatives are scheduled to hold their annual conference early next week to showcase the party’s policies ahead of a possible general election. Unless the prime minister can assemble an unlikely majority to suspend Parliament again, that set-piece event may now clash with parliamentary proceedings. |
| Mr. Johnson will cut short his New York trip and fly back to London on Tuesday night, after meeting by phone with his cabinet, government officials said. | Mr. Johnson will cut short his New York trip and fly back to London on Tuesday night, after meeting by phone with his cabinet, government officials said. |
| As a practical matter, it was not clear how much the decision would change the government’s immediate approach to Brexit. In the days before they were dispersed, members of the House of Commons pushed through a law — over the prime minister’s fierce opposition — that would prohibit Mr. Johnson from pursuing a “no-deal Brexit.” | As a practical matter, it was not clear how much the decision would change the government’s immediate approach to Brexit. In the days before they were dispersed, members of the House of Commons pushed through a law — over the prime minister’s fierce opposition — that would prohibit Mr. Johnson from pursuing a “no-deal Brexit.” |
| But in symbolic terms, the court ruling was a stinging rebuke for the prime minister. It raised the question of whether he had misled Queen Elizabeth II in asking her to prorogue the Parliament. And it added to the perception that his Conservative government was running roughshod over Britain’s most hallowed political conventions in its zeal to extract the country from Europe. | But in symbolic terms, the court ruling was a stinging rebuke for the prime minister. It raised the question of whether he had misled Queen Elizabeth II in asking her to prorogue the Parliament. And it added to the perception that his Conservative government was running roughshod over Britain’s most hallowed political conventions in its zeal to extract the country from Europe. |
| Mr. Johnson has insisted that he is attempting to negotiate a withdrawal agreement with Brussels. But opposition politicians and European Union officials contend that he is merely going through the motions to shore up his support in Britain, preparing to blame the bloc when nothing results. | Mr. Johnson has insisted that he is attempting to negotiate a withdrawal agreement with Brussels. But opposition politicians and European Union officials contend that he is merely going through the motions to shore up his support in Britain, preparing to blame the bloc when nothing results. |
| Twice this month, he asked Parliament to call a snap election, and both times he fell far short of the two-thirds approval he needed. The Labour Party balked at supporting an election out of fear that Mr. Johnson would schedule it before Oct. 31, in the hopes of using a victory at the polls to push through a no-deal Brexit. | Twice this month, he asked Parliament to call a snap election, and both times he fell far short of the two-thirds approval he needed. The Labour Party balked at supporting an election out of fear that Mr. Johnson would schedule it before Oct. 31, in the hopes of using a victory at the polls to push through a no-deal Brexit. |
| The Supreme Court decision on Tuesday, which came after three days of televised oral arguments, had been eagerly anticipated in Britain because of its political and legal ramifications. | The Supreme Court decision on Tuesday, which came after three days of televised oral arguments, had been eagerly anticipated in Britain because of its political and legal ramifications. |
| “We’re in uncharted territory,” said James Grant, a senior lecturer in law at King’s College London. | “We’re in uncharted territory,” said James Grant, a senior lecturer in law at King’s College London. |
| Dr. Grant said he believed that it would have been dangerous for the Supreme Court to side with the English court. The suspension, he argued, clearly deprived the House of Commons of its responsibility to scrutinize the government’s policy on Brexit, an issue of critical national importance. | Dr. Grant said he believed that it would have been dangerous for the Supreme Court to side with the English court. The suspension, he argued, clearly deprived the House of Commons of its responsibility to scrutinize the government’s policy on Brexit, an issue of critical national importance. |
| But other legal experts worry that upholding the Scottish ruling could set a troubling precedent, opening the door to a form of judicial review that is widely accepted in the United States, which has a codified Constitution and a Supreme Court that actively interprets it. | But other legal experts worry that upholding the Scottish ruling could set a troubling precedent, opening the door to a form of judicial review that is widely accepted in the United States, which has a codified Constitution and a Supreme Court that actively interprets it. |
| Britain, by contrast, relies on an unwritten set of traditions and conventions that have treated a sovereign Parliament as the supreme law of the land. Once the courts venture into the political sphere and begin passing judgment on Parliament’s actions, some legal analysts say, there is no going back. | Britain, by contrast, relies on an unwritten set of traditions and conventions that have treated a sovereign Parliament as the supreme law of the land. Once the courts venture into the political sphere and begin passing judgment on Parliament’s actions, some legal analysts say, there is no going back. |