Boris Johnson news: PM forced to return early from UN as Corbyn demands election following Supreme Court humiliation
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Your support makes all the difference.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
BREAKING: Boris Johnson has said his government will respect the Supreme Court verdict that the suspension of parliament was unlawful.
Speaking in New York, the prime minister said: “Obviously this is a verdict that we will respect and we respect the judicial process.
“I have to say that I strongly disagree with what the justices have found. I don't think that it's right but we will go ahead and of course parliament will come back.”
Johnson added: “I do think there’s a good case for getting on with a Queen’s Speech anyway and we will do that.”
Sir John Major hit out at Boris Johnson’s behaviour after the Supreme Court ruled his suspension of parliament was unlawful.
The former PM, who took part in the Supreme Court case, said Johnson should apologise to parliament for his actions.
In a stinging comment aimed at one of his successors, Sir John said: “No Prime Minister must ever treat the monarch or parliament in this way again."
The ex-premier said: “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, with the effect of stifling proper scrutiny and debate, when it’s sitting is so plainly in the national interest.”
A UK government source told The Independent Boris Johnson would be returning to London from New York sooner than planned.
Here’s all the details on the prime minister’s homecoming and his latest remarks on the Supreme Court verdict.
Here’s Boris Johnson saying the Supreme Court ruling was “not the right decision”.
Protesters outside the Supreme Court erupted into cheers and chants of “Johnson out” as it was ruled that Boris Johnson’s prorogation was unlawful.
A P45 placard with Johnson’s details and a man wearing a model of his head in an inmate’s striped clothing both arrived at the UK's highest court during heavy rain on Tuesday morning.
Protesters watched a live stream of the proceedings inside on mobile phones, as a panel of 11 justices gave their ruling on the legality of the PM’s advice to the Queen to prorogue parliament until October 14.
Labour peer Baroness Chakrabarti has said “Boris Johnson and his arrogant, entitled chums are not above the law”.
“I was always a believer, when I was advising Jeremy, my leader, I always believed we would win because we had right on our side and we had the law on our side,” Chakrabarti told the BBC.
“Goodness me, Brenda Hale, Lady Hale has given an amazing judgment this morning that will be read, remembered up and down these islands, across the world for many years to come.
“No-one is above the law, not even Boris Johnson, and his arrogant, entitled chums are not above the law. They have behaved disgracefully, they have been getting away with things for all their lives, but today they have been called to account by the United Kingdom’s highest court.
“That is a very, very important step I think.”
Jeremy Corbyn’s conference speech will take place later this afternoon in Brighton. Here he is preparing his address, possibly making some last minutes changes given today’s historic ruling at the Supreme Court.
Jeremy Corbyn prepares his speech (Getty)
Amber Rudd, the former Conservative cabinet minister, appeared to suggest Boris Johnson should consider sacking his key aide Dominic Cummings.
She told Sky News: “He’s clearly not getting good advice. He will have to draw his own conclusions from that.”
Rudd added: “If I was getting the sort of advice he’s been getting, I would certainly consider some people’s positions.”
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