Ex-PM John Major joins court battle against Boris Johnson’s plans to shut down Parliament

JOHN Major has joined a legal battle against Boris Johnson’s plans to shut down Parliament.

The ex-PM announced his plans to fight Boris with Remainer lawyer Gina Miller today.

Rex Features

Sir John Major announced he was backing Jeremy Hunt in the race for PM[/caption]

Tory grandee Major said in a statement: “I promised that, if the Prime Minister prorogued Parliament in order to prevent Mermbers from opposing his Brexit plans, I would seek judicial review of his action.

He added: “If granted permission to intervene, I intend to seek to assist the Court from the perspective of having served in Government as a Minister and Prime Minister, and also in Parliament for many years as a Member of the House of Commons.”

MAJOR MOVE

Major previously accused Johnson of hypocrisy for backing Brexit to secure more power for Britain’s parliament, only to propose to sideline lawmakers when it suited him.

He said parliament had not been suspended since King Charles I did so during the English Civil War. Charles was later executed in 1649.

I promised that, if the Prime Minister prorogued Parliament in order to prevent Mermbers from opposing his Brexit plans, I would seek judicial review of his action.

John Major

“The idea of proroguing parliament is utterly and totally unacceptable from any British parliamentarian or democrat,” said Major, who is backing Johnson’s rival Jeremy Hunt for the leadership, though said he was speaking in a personal capacity.

Johnson responded by saying it would be “very odd” to give the judiciary a say over Brexit.

“I think everybody is fed up with delay and I think the idea of now consecrating this decision to the judiciary is really very, very odd indeed,” he said.

BREXIT LEGAL BID

As Boris prepares for Major and Miller’s challenge a court in Scotland has been delivered a blow.

A cross-party group of 70 MPs and activists had their case heard at the Court of Session in Edinburgh this morning,

The group of MPs demanded an interim interdict – or short term suspension – of the PM’s decision to shut down the House of Commons for more than a month.

But it was denied by Lord Judge Doherty this morning and a full hearing on the matter could be heard next week.

A full hearing was due to take place on September 6 but will be brought forward to Tuesday.

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Lord Doherty said today he wanted to hear the full arguments of the case next week.

The group filed papers at the Court of Session in Edinburgh earlier this summer to stop the PM from proroguing Parliament.

The legal challenge was being led by SNP MP Joanna Cherry QC and Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson, aided by Labour MP Ian Murray and Jo Maugham of the Good Law Project.

Major has joined forces with Gina Miller to fight Brexit

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