LONDON, Sept. 6-- A bid in the High Court to challenge Prime Minister Boris Johnson's suspension of the British Parliament on Friday was rejected by three of the most senior judges in England. The judges ruled that Johnson acted lawfully in the advice he gave to Queen Elizabeth to prorogue, or suspend parliament for five weeks. Opponents of the move had claimed Johnson wanted the lengthy suspension to curtail opportunities by opposition politicians to fight his "do or die" strategy to take Britain out of the European Union (EU) on Oct. 31, with or without a deal. During the hearing, Lord Pannick, the barrister representing campaigner Gina Miller, described Johnson's decision as an unlawful abuse of power. Miller's bid to have the suspension overturned was supported by former Conservative Prime Minister Sir John Major. Miller emerged as a campaigner when she won a legal fight to force the government to allow the House of Commons to make key decisions on Brexit. The ruling is now expected to go to an appeal at the Supreme Court, the highest court in the country. The court has already announced it is prepared to hear any appeals on Sept. 17. Meanwhile, there was a blow for Johnson Friday when the main opposition Labour Party and the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) both said they would oppose his bid Monday to call a general election. Johnson's first attempt this week to get parliamentary approval for an election was overwhelmingly defeated in the House of Commons. |