Supreme Court: Government ‘acted in good faith’ over suspension, says Cox

The government acted in “good faith” when it suspended Parliament, according to its chief legal adviser.

Geoffrey Cox told MPs he was “disappointed” at the landmark ruling by the Supreme Court that the suspension was unlawful, but he respected the judgement.

MPs returned to work on Wednesday morning as a result of the ruling.

The SNP’s Joanna Cherry urged Mr Cox to publish the legal advice he gave the government ahead of the suspension.

Ms Cherry – who was one of the lawyers who led the court challenge against the suspension or “prorogation” – said Mr Cox was being “offered up as a fall guy for the government’s plans”.

Releasing his advice “would help him avoid being a scapegoat for a plan dreamed up by the prime minister and his advisers”, she told the Commons.

The Attorney General said the government believed its approach was “both lawful and constitutional”, and he would “consider over the coming days whether the public interest may require a greater disclosure” of his advice.

Boris Johnson, who has flown back from a UN summit in New York to address MPs, has said he “profoundly disagrees” with the decision of the Supreme Court, but he would respect it.

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Earlier, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called for Mr Johnson to resign, and said the court’s decision had left the PM “badly wanting”.

The prime minister could be removed via a vote of no confidence – potentially triggering a general election – but Mr Corbyn said he would not seek one until it was “very clear” Mr Johnson would seek an extension to Brexit to prevent no deal and the EU had agreed to it.