Johnson awaits U.K. top court ruling

LONDON, United States (AFP) — Britain’s Supreme Court will rule on Tuesday whether Prime Minister Boris Johnson acted unlawfully in suspending parliament, in a seismic case that could have profound implications for Brexit and the country’s constitutional foundations.

If the verdict goes against Johnson, it could see parliament rapidly reassemble and would inevitably trigger questions about his position, having unlawfully advised Queen Elizabeth II to suspend parliament.

It would be the latest hammer blow to his plans for taking Britain out of the European Union on 31 October, and pile huge pressure on his minority government.

It would also raise questions about whether he could hold out as premier long enough to face a general election, which recent polls suggest he could win with a large majority.

His setbacks in parliament and the courts have so far only increased his polling numbers, burnishing his reputation among those who voted to leave the EU, but his popularity could dwindle if he is blamed for dragging the Queen into the fray.

Whatever the decision, it is likely to provoke frenzied reaction, stoking up tensions in an already divided country.