Lord Advocate to intervene in Brexit court cases

Scotland’s highest law officer is to intervene in two legal cases aimed at stopping the UK Parliament being suspended ahead of the Brexit deadline on 31 October.

The Lord Advocate, James Wolffe QC, has lodged applications seeking permission to make representations to hearings at the Court of Session in Edinburgh and the High Court in London.

If the applications are approved, he will contend that the UK Government’s prorogation, or suspension, of the UK Parliament prevents scrutiny and represents an abuse of executive power.

The Court of Session, Scotland's highest civil court, will begin hearing a petition brought by a cross-party group of 75 MPs and peers to prevent Boris Johnson from proroguing Parliament today on the basis that it is “unconstitutional”.

A similar case will be put to the High Court in London by anti-Brexit campaigner Gina Miller on Thursday.

Constitutional Affairs Secretary Michael Russell said: “Accountable government is a fundamental principle of our democracy.

“This attempt to suspend the UK Parliament at such a critical time is a clear attempt to silence opposition and must be resisted.

“The democratic wishes of the Scottish people and the Scottish Parliament should not be allowed to be brushed aside as if they did not matter.”