Boris Johnson news: PM forced to return early from UN as Corbyn demands election following Supreme Court humiliation
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Boris Johnson is returning the UK to face urgent questions in parliament after the Supreme Court declared his government unlawfully shut it down for five weeks.
The prime minister was forced to cut short his trip to the UN General Assembly in New York to attend the House of Commons on Wednesday.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for Mr Johnson to “consider his position” following the landmark decision, while Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson said he was “not fit” to be PM.
Speaking in New York, the prime minister said his government will “respect” the court verdict and added that “of course parliament will come back”.
Downing Street confirmed that he had spoken to the Queen by phone but refused to say whether he had apologised for advising her to prorogue parliament.
It was also reported that Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the House, had described the ruling as a “constitutional coup”.
See below for our coverage of events as they happened
Business secretary Andrea Leadsom has been speaking about the Supreme Court case.
Asked if Boris Johnson should resign if he loses the ruling, the minister said: “I’m not prejudging the decision by the (court), I think it is absolutely vital that we wait to see what they say.”
“As I was leader of the Commons for two years, I can absolutely assure you we had the longest session in over 400 years, it’s absolutely vital that we prorogue, that we have a new Queen's speech, that we set out our new domestic agenda.”
Asked about another possible prorogation, she added: “That will be a matter for the prime minister, but I'm not speculating.
“It’s my expectation that the judges will find that prorogation is indeed a political matter and that in the longest parliamentary session in over 400 years, it’s perfectly reasonable to decide to prorogue and to set out a new domestic legislative programme.”
Asked if the allegations of a conflict of interest centring on the PM’s association with Jennifer Arcuri should be investigated, Leadsom said: “The prime minister has said he’s acted with propriety at all times and I’m happy with that.”
She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “If there needs to be an investigation then I'm sure that there will be, but I’m comfortable with the prime minister’s assurances.”
Gina Miller is among the early arrivals at the Supreme Court for the verdict on the prorogation of parliament.
Protesters – both pro and anti-Brexit – have begun to gather in the rain outside the Supreme Court awaiting this morning’s historic ruling.
Some activists opposed to prorogation outside the court (AP)
Our home affairs correspondent Lizzie Dearden is in the Supreme Court this morning, and will be reporting live on the verdict – expected at around 10.30am.
Lady Hale is now summarising the whole case ahead of delivering the Supreme Court verdict on the suspension of parliament.
Lady Hale delivers Supreme Court verdict (UK Supreme Court)
Lady Hale says all 11 judges were unanimous in deciding that the case is “justiciable”, so the government loses that part of the argument.
BREAKING: Supreme Court decides suspension of parliament was unlawful.
Lady Hale said: “The court is bound to conclude therefore that the decision to advise Her Majesty to prorogue was unlawful because it had the effect of frustrating or preventing the ability of Parliament to carry out its constitutional functions.”
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