Jim Allister: Supreme Court has diminished itself by taking sides on Brexit

Yesterday there was a power grab by the Supreme Court.
By Jim Allister
Published 25th Sep 2019, 22:49 BST
The Supreme Court in London on Tuesday September 24 2019, when judges ruled unanimously that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's advice to the Queen to suspend Parliament for five weeks was unlawful. PA Photo: Supreme Court/PA WireThe Supreme Court in London on Tuesday September 24 2019, when judges ruled unanimously that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's advice to the Queen to suspend Parliament for five weeks was unlawful. PA Photo: Supreme Court/PA Wire
The Supreme Court in London on Tuesday September 24 2019, when judges ruled unanimously that Prime Minister Boris Johnson's advice to the Queen to suspend Parliament for five weeks was unlawful. PA Photo: Supreme Court/PA Wire

Until now, as far as I am aware, any restraint on prorogation has been by statute.

Yesterday, it was by judge made law.

That is quite a constitutional departure.

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Letter to the editor

The sense of politicking was conveyed by the statement “The effect on the fundamentals of our democracy was extreme.”

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Really! I’d have thought the far greater effect on “the fundamentals of our democracy” was the determined efforts — of which this legal challenge was part — by Remainer politicians and acolytes to thwart the people’s democratic decision to leave the European Union. That is what the past two years of political manoeuvring has been about, nothing else.

Now, the Supreme Court has diminished itself by taking sides.

Jim Allister QC MLA, TUV leader, North Antrim

Related topics:Supreme CourtJim AllisterBrexitEuropean Union