Legal Advice: Prorogation Debate

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Department: Attorney General

Legal Advice: Prorogation

John Whittingdale Excerpts
Wednesday 25th September 2019

(5 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Geoffrey Cox Portrait The Attorney General
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In advocacy terms, that is what we used to call a “When did you stop beating your wife?” question. I do not accept the premise of the question. There is no question that the Supreme Court found in any way that any advice that had been given was consciously or knowingly misleading.

John Whittingdale Portrait Mr John Whittingdale (Maldon) (Con)
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Does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that there is a judgment that is superior to that of any court’s? That is the judgment of the British people. It has once been given on the question of whether this country should remain a member of the European Union, but it has twice been prevented from being expressed in a vote of this House. Is it not now time that we allow them to give their judgment on this Parliament?

Geoffrey Cox Portrait The Attorney General
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I could not agree more with my right hon. Friend. The time has come. The fact is that this Parliament has no further point. There is no possibility of our governing while this Parliament continues to block everything we do.