Boris Johnson claims Supreme Court ruling was wrong
Published: 15:14, 24 September 2019
Updated: 21:03, 24 September 2019
For those who relish constitutional and full-blown political crises, today’s ruling by Supreme Court judges the Prime Minister had acted unlawfully in proroguing Parliament is like having all your Christmases coming at once.
For Boris Johnson, however, there was nothing gift-wrapped for him in a ruling that comprehensively demolished his case that there was nothing inappropriate about his proroguation.
Will the UK definitely leave the EU by the end of October?
He has responded in bullish fashion, saying that he strongly disagreed with the unanimous verdict of the 11 judges and has insisted it is more or less a case of business as usual.
It is hardly that: the Speaker of the House John Bercow has ordered that Parliament is reconvened tomorrow and Commons business will continue where it left off.
What happens next is anyone’s guess. Opposition party leaders have called for Boris Johnson to quit but there is a lingering suspicion that despite publicly demanding his head on a plate, they might just prefer to have him stay - a politically wounded and damaged figure who is on the ropes, one punch away from being knocked out.
The ruling has helped Labour - despite disrupting its conference - because the spotlight has turned away from its own internal arguments over Brexit to shine a light on the PM’s difficulties.
As to the chances of a no-confidence vote in the government, the potential numbers are there but will they add up?
One option might be the creation of a unity government but we already know that Labour is adamant it should be led by Jeremy Corbyn.
If that obstacle is removed, the chances might improve of getting a coalition.
The only certainty is that we remain in distinctly choppy waters. Can Boris bale himself out or is he doomed on a sinking ship?
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Paul Francis