London - Britain's Supreme Court is scheduled to begin hearing
legal arguments on Tuesday against Prime Minister Boris Johnson's
suspension of parliament, amid accusations that Johnson wants to
reduce scrutiny of his Brexit plans.
The hearing is expected to last three days, with evidence from three
separate appeals in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Johnson has rejected calls to recall parliament, insisting he did not
mislead Queen Elizabeth II when he asked her to approve its
prorogation, or suspension.
He said he requested the suspension to allow him to present a
programme for improvements to health services, policing and other
"people's priorities" to a new parliamentary session.
Anti-Brexit legal activist Gina Miller, the lead plaintiff in the
English case, said the issue at stake is "so much more important even
than Brexit."
"It is about how we are governed, about preserving our ancient
democratic freedoms, and trying at all costs to stop a dangerous
precedent being created that threatens constitutionally, politically
and economically to impoverish us all," Miller wrote in Monday's
Independent newspaper.
If the 11 judges rule that the suspension is unlawful, Johnson is
expected to recall the legislature.
He would also come under more political pressure to explain his
advice to the queen.
In a video aimed at British voters and released via Twitter on
Monday, Johnson said some lawmakers "thought that that [suspension]
was anti-democratic, even though we offered them an election twice,
which they turned down, spinelessly."
"They have had three years to think about Brexit, these people,"
Johnson said.