Boris Johnson news: Government lawyer refuses to say whether PM could suspend parliament again, as Supreme Court hears he 'committed worst abuse of power in decades'
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The legal battle over Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend parliament for five weeks is being heard at the Supreme Court, with Gina Miller’s legal representative arguing the prime minister “abused his power”.
Mr Johnson has pledged to “obey the law” but said he wanted to “wait and see what the judges say” before his government decides whether to recall parliament.
It comes as Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson claimed she is a “candidate for prime minister”, while Tory MPs condemned Luxembourg’s prime minister Xavier Bettel for conducting a press conference next to an empty lectern.
To follow events as they unfolded, see our live coverage below:
Jo Swinson can be the “refreshing change” the country needs, according to Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie.
Ahead of a speech at the party’s conference in Bournemouth, Rennie told Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn to “watch out” for the Liberal Democrat leader.
“When you look at Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn, the answer has to be Jo Swinson,” Rennie is expected to say.
“Talented, energetic, empathetic and most of all downright determined. Isn’t that the character of someone who would lead our country so well? It’s the refreshing change we need.
“In the midst of a national crisis, Jo Swinson is rising up. It’s time for the old to make way for the new. So Boris and Jeremy watch out, Jo is on the march.”
David Cameron has issued a strong defence of his government’s austerity policy. “We probably didn’t cut enough,” Cameron wrote in the latest published extract from his memoirs.
The former PM dismissing the “hysterical” reaction to slashing public spending. “You’d think we had reinstated the workhouse.”
Cameron has also written of former French president Nicolas Sarkozy’s “extraordinary gestures” which helped him see his father for a final time.
Sarkozy came to his aide when his father Ian Cameron fell ill in France. “Nicolas Sarkozy came through on the car phone to tell me that he had heard my father was unwell, and his office had spoken to the doctors concerned.
“They were worried that the stroke was potentially fatal. He said, ‘Whatever you do, David, turn around and get back on the plane, and I will get you to your father’.”
Anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller has arrived at the Supreme Court. Supporters outside greeted her with applause, cheers and chants of “Bravo Gina Miller”.
Some protesters in Parliament Square have been waving placards with the slogans “defend democracy”, “reopen parliament” and “don’t silence our MPs”.
Gina Miller arrives at Supreme Court (PA)
Protesters rally outside the Supreme Court (AFP)
Protester lampoons PM's promise to be Incredible Hulk (AFP)
Veteran broadcaster David Dimbleby has arrived outside the Supreme Court, and called the case “big potatoes”.
Dimbleby said: “I lived through Suez, the miners' strike, I lived through the poll tax debate and the trouble then. I lived through the Iraq demonstrations - I've never seen the country so divided as this.”
He added: “The next six weeks are clearly critical. I’ve never known the country so seriously riven by argument.”
Dimbleby said the case was “not just dramatic – it’s really, really important for all our futures.
“The prime minister is accused of lying to the Queen – let’s put it bluntly - and getting parliament suspended without good reason and that’s big potatoes, it has to be.”
If you missed it, here’s our sketch writer Tom Peck’s take on David Cameron’s big interview on ITV last night.
As Lady Hale begins setting out the case at the Supreme Court, Liberal Democrat members have passed an emergency motion calling on the government to recall parliament immediately.
The conference motion demands that Boris Johnson asks the Queen to revoke the prorogation order, and states that future decisions about when parliament sits should be handed to MPs.
Speaking after the motion was passed, Liberal Democrat Stop Brexit Spokesman Tom Brake MP said: “Boris Johnson has shut down democracy and silenced people’s voices in the middle of the biggest crisis in recent history.
“An unelected Prime Minister, with no majority, cannot be allowed to trample over our democracy. That is why Liberal Democrats have passed this motion, calling for parliament to be immediately recalled. Liberal Democrats will continue to stand up for the people.”
In the Supreme Court, the historic case to determine whether Boris Johnson unlawfully suspended Parliament is just getting under way.
Lady Hale, the president of the court, makes clear that the 11 judges hearing the case are “not concerned with the wider political issues that form the context of the legal issue”. She says their ruling will not determine in any way "when and how the UK leaves the EU".
Lord Pannick then opens the case against Mr Johnson on behalf of Gina Miller.
He says his side will argue that:
"The prime minister advised Her Majesty to prorogue Parliament for as long as five weeks because he, the prime minister, wishes to avoid... the risk that Parliament during that period would take action to frustrate or to damage the policies of the government."
So what’s at stake in the case? Our home affairs correspondent Lizzie Dearden explains why it goes even further than our current PM, with the verdict set to be absorbed into our constitution.
Our dear. Lady Hale seems to have differently-numbered paperwork from Lord Pannick – who is setting out the case for Gina Miller. “It’s very inconvenient for everybody,” says Lord Pannick, apologising.
Further confusion over tab numbers. Some of the other judges are complaining their documents are also differently numbered from Lord Pannick’s documents – who is setting out the case for Gina Miller.
“I’m terribly sorry,” says Lord Pannick, who asks the clerk to get copies of his documents. “We need a number of copies, please.”
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