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'This parliament is a disgrace': Boris Johnson's government refuses to apologise for breaking the law

Sep 25, 2019, 17:37 IST

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  • Boris Johnson's government refuses to apologise after they were found to have broken the law by suspending the UK Parliament.
  • The Attorney General Geoffrey Cox told members of parliament that they were a "disgrace" and called for the current parliament to be dissolved.
  • The Leader of the House of Commons reportedly labeled the judges' decision a "constitutional coup."
  • Johnson is due to address Parliament later on Wednesday.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Boris Johnson's government has refused to apologise after it was found to have broken the law by suspending parliament.

The Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Johnson's government had broken the law by closing down parliament for five weeks in the run-up to Brexit.

Read more: Boris Johnson told to resign following Supreme Court defeat and become the 'shortest-serving prime minister ever'

Johnson reportedly spoke to the Queen on Tuesday to explain why he had advised her to unlawfully close down parliament.

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However, Johnson's ministers repeatedly refused to publicly apologise for the decision on Wednesday and instead called for the current parliament to be dissolved.

The Attorney General Geoffrey Cox had advised the prime minister that his decision to suspend parliament was legal, according to a memo leaked to Sky News.

However, speaking in the House of Commons, the Attorney General Geoffrey Cox refused to apologise and labeled members of parliament a "disgrace." 

"This parliament is a dead parliament. It should no longer sit," Cox shouted at MPs.

"It has no moral right to sit on these green benches. This parliament is a disgrace."

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Watch Geoffrey Cox: 'This parliament is a disgrace' 

He accused members of parliament of being too "cowardly" to hold an election and form a new parliament.

"They could vote no confidence at any time but theyre too cowardly," he said.

"This parliament should have the courage to face the electorate but they won't because so many of them are really about preventing us leaving the European Union, but the time is coming when even these turkeys won't be able to prevent Christmas."

Earlier the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme that the government would not apologise for "trying to honour the democratic will of the British people" in the Brexit referendum. 

The Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg also reportedly told colleagues that the decision by the court was a "constitutional coup."

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