Should Boris Johnson resign? Reaction to Supreme Court ruling
Today the Supreme Court found that Boris Johnson had acted unlawfully in suspending parliament for five weeks ahead of the Brexit deadline.
Saying the suspension took place in “unusual circumstances” , court president Lady Hale declared that “parliament has not been prorogued”, prompting speaker John Bercow to recall MPs to parliament for 11.30am tomorrow.
Read more: Supreme Court ruling: What does it mean and what happens now?
The Prime Minister reacted by saying he would respect and abide by the court’s ruling, but said he “strongly disagreed” with the decision.
Meanwhile sterling spiked in the minutes after the ruling, but failed to break through $1.25 as traders fear more uncertainty is on the way.
Here’s how other major political figures reacted to today’s Supreme Court ruling.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn
Corbyn called the prorogation a “contempt for democracy and an abuse of power” by Johnson.
“I will be in touch immediately to demand that parliament is recalled so we can question that Prime Minister, demand that he obeys the law that has been passed by parliament and recognise that our parliament has been elected by our people to hold our government to account,” he added, speaking at Labour’s Brighton conference.
“I invite Boris Johnson in the historic words to consider his position and become the shortest-serving Prime Minister there’s ever been.”
Sir John Major
The former prime minister helped bring the legal action that ended in the Supreme Court ruling against Johnson’s prorogation of parliament.
Read more: Sterling spikes as Supreme Court scuppers Boris Johnson’s Brexit plans
He said: “I am delighted that the court has ruled the Prime Minister’s lengthy and contentious prorogation of Parliament to be unlawful.
“This was a case that should never have had to be considered, and it gave me no pleasure to be pitted against a government and Prime Minister of my own party.
“Parliament must now be recalled immediately to recommence its work, and to receive the Prime Minister’s unreserved apology.
“I hope this ruling from the Supreme Court will deter any future Prime Minister from attempting to shut down parliament.
“No Prime Minister must ever treat the monarch or parliament in this way again.”
SNP MP Joanna Cherry
Cherry, who brought the lawsuit in Scotland that led Scottish judges to declare Johnson’s move unlawful, said she was “delighted” with the outcome.
“Delighted that @UKSupremeCourt have followed Scottish court & found that @BorisJohnson acted unlawfully in #Prorogation of U.K. parliament. We must resume immediately & he must resign #Cherrycase #Brexit #StopTheCoup,” she said on Twitter.
Welsh first minister Mark Drakeford
The leader of the Welsh government did not comment directly on Johnson’s premiership, but said on Twitter that it would be a “matter of honour” to resign for any “normal” prime minister.
He said: “When a prime minister is found to have acted unlawfully and undemocratically, I don’t see how that person thinks that he can legitimately continue in office.”
“The PM tried to play fast and loose with our constitution. The unanimous decision by @UKSupremeCourt is a huge victory for the rule of law,” Drakeford added. “Parliament was never prorogued and must now hold this government to account.”
SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford and party leader Nicola Sturgeon
Calling this “an absolutely stunning judgment”, Blackford added that “quite frankly on the back of this Boris Johnson must resign”.
Sturgeon added: “Boris Johnson should resign, this is a Prime Minister who has been found by the UK Supreme Court to have acted unlawfully, seeking to evade scrutiny without good reason.”
Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson
“This confirms what we already knew – Boris Johnson isn’t fit to be Prime Minister. He’s misled Queen and country, and unlawfully silenced the people’s representatives. I’m on my way to resume my duties in the Commons and stop Brexit altogether,” she said.
Read more: Who is the Supreme Court’s president Lady Hale?
House of Commons speaker John Bercow
“I have instructed the House authorities to prepare not for the recall, the prorogation was unlawful and is void, to prepare for the resumption of the business of the House of Commons,” he said.
“Specifically I’ve instructed the house authorities to undertake such steps as are necessary to ensure that the House of Commons sits tomorrow and that it does so at 11:30am.”