Supreme Court rules that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's decision to prorogue Parliament was unlawful

The Supreme Court has ruled that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's advice to the Queen to suspend Parliament for five weeks was unlawful.

By Ben Green

Published 24th Sep 2019, 10:52 BST

Updated 24th Sep 2019, 11:52 BST

Lady Hale told the court that "a decision to prorogue, or advise the monarch to prorogue, will be unawful if the prorogation has the effect of frustrating or preventing without reasonable justification the ability of Parliament to carry out its constitutional functions as a legislature and as the body responsible for the supervision of the executive".

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."

Lady Hale continued that the speakers of the Houses of Commons and Lords "can take immediate steps to enable each house to meet as soon as possible".

By Press Association reporters