Supreme Court was 'wrong' over Parliament suspension, Boris Johnson tells MPs

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told MPs the Supreme Court was "wrong to pronounce on a political question at a time of great national controversy".

Prime Minister Boris Johnson in the Commons

Making a statement this evening in the House of Commons, Mr Johnson claimed the "paralysed" Parliament did not want Brexit to happen at all and accused MPs of deliberately "sabotaging" the Brexit negotiations.

"The people of this country can see clearly what is going on," Mr Johnson said.

The decision by the UK Supreme Court on Tuesday that the prorogation of the House of Commons was unlawful had brought MPs back to Westminster to sit today.

Mr Johnson said of the legal ruling: "I thought the court was wrong to pronounce on what is essentially a political question at a time of great national controversy."

But former Conservative leadership candidate Rory Stewart used the moment to respond, writing on Twitter: "It is not and it will never be appropriate for a British Prime Minister to second-guess the decision of the Supreme Court.

"He says the Supreme Court decision was wrong. But he is wrong - wrong about the law, the constitution and the appropriate response of a PM to the Rule of Law."

Mr Johnson said Parliament "does not want to honour its promises of honouring the referendum".

"This Parliament will keep delaying, it will keep sabotaging the negotiations," he said.

Mr Johnson said it was "delusion" that members of the public will forget about the past three years and vote to remain in the EU in the event of a fresh referendum.

He said: "This government intends to present a programme for life after Brexit.

"But says some members do not want that.

"Instead of deciding to let the voters decide they ran to the courts instead."

The PM dared opposition parties to "finally face the day of reckoning with the voters" in an election.

Mr Johnson said: "I think the people outside this House understand what is happening.

"Out of sheer selfishness a political cowardice they are unwilling to move aside and let the people have a say.

"The Leader of the Opposition and his party don't trust the people.

"All that matters to them is an obsessive desire to overturn the referendum result."

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has repeatedly said his party will not support a general election until the Government asks for an extension to the Brexit leaving date to avoid a no-deal exit.

But Mr Johnson questioned whether his political rival wanted to be prime minister.

"Is he going to dodge a vote of no-confidence in me as Prime Minister in order to escape the verdict of the voters?" he said.

"I wonder does he in his heart even want to be prime minister any more?"