Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the UK's opposition Labour Party, announced the Supreme Court's decision to massive cheers at his party conference. 'It demonstrates a contempt for democracy and an abuse of power' by the Prime Minister, said Corbyn.
The Prime Minister said the suspension was needed to make way for a new Queen's Speech -- which sets out the government's legislative agenda and marks the start of a new parliamentary session. By convention, a Queen's Speech usually takes place every year, and Parliament is always prorogued before it is reopened by the monarch.Five weeks -- but for most of that period, Parliament may not have been sitting anyway.
In an extraordinary intervention, the Speaker of the House John Bercow -- whose role is traditionally impartial -- said it was"blindly obvious" Johnson was attempting to limit debate over Brexit with the move. "Shutting down Parliament would be an offense against the democratic process and the rights of Parliamentarians as the people's elected representatives," Bercow said in a statement.It's unclear -- in theory, no-deal is off the table on October 31 because of new legislation instructing Johnson to ask for a delay if he can't make a pact.
But Johnson isn't backing down from bullish rhetoric about leaving on that date -- so something is going to have to give. If the Prime Minister finds a way around the law, there will be very little time in late October for lawmakers to pass another one.
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