Sturgeon hopes for ruling against prorogation

Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon said she hoped the UK's Supreme Court would side with Edinburgh judges who ruled that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's prorogation of Parliament was unlawful.

The London court is deciding whether Johnson's advice to Queen Elizabeth II — to suspend the legislature — fell foul of the law.

Read more: Brexit poses existential questions for Scottish nationalists

While Scotland's Inner House of the Court of Session ruled that Johnson's move was not legitimate because it had the "purpose of stymieing Parliament," the High Court in England said it was not a matter for judges to intervene in.

Hopes for ruling

The Scottish leader told DW that she hoped the Supreme Court would rule with the Scottish justices, against the sidelining of Parliament with a scheduled Brexit only weeks away.

"There has to be some limits on the ability of a government — in this case a minority government — to close down Parliament in order to avoid scrutiny," Sturgeon said on a visit to Berlin.

"So, I hope — and I respect the independence of the judiciary — but I hope the Supreme Court will find that the prorogation of parliament was unlawful."

"A Scottish court reached that conclusion last week. And then we can see parliament recalled and much needed scrutiny applied to Boris Johnson's whole approach to Brexit."

Sturgeon has previously likened Johnson to a "tinpot dictator," and prorogation an "outrageous assault on basic democratic principles."

Read more: Thousands march in Glasgow to support Scottish independence

New referendum or election?

In her full interview with DW, the first minister said she believed that Britain crashing out of the EU without a deal would likely be the end of Scotland's centuries-old union with its southern neighbor. Sturgeon has repeatedly called for Scotland to vote in a second referendum on independence from London.

She also expressed hope that there would soon be a second referendum on Brexit and a general election, in which her Scottish National Party has been tipped to make considerable gains at the expense of Johnson's Conservatives.

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