Boris Johnson news: John Bercow warns prime minister against disobeying law by not asking for Brexit delay

MPs have no way to stop bad deals after Brexit now the trade bill has been dropped, David Lawrence writes:

Here's more on John Bercow's lecture, in which he said Mr Johnson would be no better than a bank robber if he refused to obey the law to prevent a no-deal Brexit, from Rob Merrick, our deputy political editor:

The suspension of parliament was sought in a "clandestine" manner and the "true reason" for the prorogation was to reduce the time available for scrutiny of Brexit, a senior Scottish judge said.

Mr Johnson's decision to suspend parliament was ruled "improper" and "unlawful" on Wednesday by three senior Scottish judges, who concluded it had been done with "the purpose of stymying parliament".

The full opinions from the judges at the Court of Session in Edinburgh - who said the prorogation was "null and of no effect" - were issued on Thursday evening.

The Court of Session case, brought by a group of more than 70 parliamentarians, appealed against an earlier ruling by a judge that the prime minister's prorogation was lawful.

Judge Lord Doherty dismissed the challenge at the Court of Session last Wednesday, saying it was for politicians and not the courts to decide.

But the three judges at the Inner House, the supreme civil court in Scotland, disagreed with Lord Doherty's ruling on Wednesday.

In the full opinions released on Thursday, Judge Lord Carloway said: "The circumstances demonstrate that the true reason for the prorogation is to reduce the time available for parliamentary scrutiny of Brexit at a time when such scrutiny would appear to be a matter of considerable importance, given the issues at stake.

"This is in the context of an anticipated no-deal Brexit, in which case no further consideration of matters by parliament is required. The Article 50 period, as extended, will have expired and withdrawal will occur automatically."

On Friday, Mr Johnson will head to South Yorkshire to reaffirm his pledge to give greater powers to northern political leaders.

"We are going to maximise the power of the North and we are going to make sure that it is people here who are in control over the things that matter to them," the PM will say in a speech to business leaders and politicians.

But Labour's shadow communities and local government secretary Andrew Gwynne said no-one will be "fooled by this whistle-stop tour and cheap speech when every day, people are living with the consequences of a decade of austerity and cuts to public services".

Labour is planning to scrap discounted business rates for private schools and charge VAT on fees if it comes to power, according to a leaked document.

The policy is estimated to have the potential to bring in £1.64bn a year, according to The Daily Telegraph, which has seen the shadow Treasury memo.

The plans drawn up by shadow chancellor John McDonnell's team are part of Labour's "preparing for government" strategy in anticipation of an early election, according to the newspaper.

Labour proposed in its 2017 manifesto that it would introduce free school meals for all primary students, funded by removing the VAT exemption from private school fees.

But ending the historic business rates exemption that independent schools have been able to claim as charities appears to be taking the proposal further.

Labour said it does not comment on leaks.