UK's top court rules Johnson's parliament suspension 'unlawful'

The United Kingdom's Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday (September 24) that Prime Minister Boris Johnson acted unlawfully when he advised Queen Elizabeth to suspend parliament just weeks before Brexit and that therefore the legislature had not been prorogued.

"The decision to advise her Majesty to prorogue parliament was unlawful because it had the effect of frustrating or preventing the ability of parliament to carry out its constitutional functions without reasonable justification," Supreme Court President Brenda Hale said.

The ruling was a unanimous decision by the court's 11 presiding judges.

Parliament was suspended, or prorogued in the British jargon, from Sept.

10 to Oct.

14.

The prorogation was approved by Queen Elizabeth, Britain's politically neutral head of state, acting on the advice of the prime minister as she is required to do under the country's complex, uncodified constitution.