IN a bid to force through Brexit on October 31, Boris Johnson has abused his power more than any other prime minister for over half a century, Gina Miller’s QC told the Supreme Court on Tuesday (17).
Opening the case, Gina Miller's barrister Lord Pannick QC said: “The exceptional length of the prorogation, in this case, is strong evidence that the prime minister's motive was to silence Parliament for that (five-week) period because he sees Parliament as an obstacle to the furtherance of his political aims.”
Lord Pannick added: “No prime minister has abused his power in the manner in which we allege in at least the last 50 years.”
He further noted that he was “making no criticism of Her Majesty in these proceedings - Her Majesty acted on the advice of her prime minister”.
Lord Pannick said the Queen had been misled by the government and the prime minister’s refusal to provide sufficient proof to the court should be held against him by the judges.
Indian origin Miller and her supporters will argue that Johnson is trying to prevent a scrutiny of his Brexit policy to move through ‘No Deal’.
During the next three days, the top court is scheduled to hear an appeal case launched by arch-remainers, including Miller.
Eleven most senior British judges are expected to rule whether prime minister broke the law and misled the Queen by shutting the Commons for over a month.
The court ruling may influence if Britain leaves the EU.
The Conservative leader may face a major setback, which may force him to resign as prime minister, if the top court decides he lied to Her Majesty about the reasons for suspending Parliament until October 14.
Johnson’s pledge to deliver Brexit by October 31 would also witness a major setback if the court rules against him.
Miller's written case highlighted: “The prime minister's advice to Her Majesty to prorogue Parliament for a period of five weeks is an unlawful abuse of power, because there has been no prorogation for longer than three weeks in the past 40 years and prorogation is typically for a week or less.
“To prorogue Parliament for such a lengthy period removes the ability of Parliament to take such action as it sees fit... relating to the arrangements for the UK to leave the EU when time is very much of the essence…”
According to the group of people who moved court against Johnson, he lied to the Queen to suspend the Parliament because he sees MPs as an 'obstacle' to Brexit.
The top court is also expected to rule on an appeal by the government against Scottish justices who said shutting down Parliament until mid-October is illegal.
The court’s ruling on the case would be “without fear or favour” and “will not determine when and how the UK leaves the EU,” said Supreme Court President Lady Hale in an opening statement at the start of the case.
Nigel Farage poses in front of a mock passenger departures board following the Reform UK Deportations Policy Announcement on August 26, 2025 in Oxford. (Photo: Getty Images)
Nigel Farage sets out plans to repeal human rights laws to allow mass deportations.
Reform UK targets removal of 600,000 asylum seekers if elected.
Farage warns of "major civil disorder" if action is not taken.
Government minister calls proposals "a series of gimmicks".
NIGEL FARAGE, leader of Reform UK, on Tuesday set out plans to repeal human rights laws to enable mass deportations of asylum seekers, saying the step was needed to prevent "major civil disorder".
Farage said his party would take Britain out of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), repeal the Human Rights Act and override other treaties that have been used to stop forced deportations.
"We are not far away from major civil disorder," Farage said at a press conference. "It is an invasion, as these young men illegally break into our country."
Protests and public anger
The announcement followed protests in recent weeks outside hotels housing asylum seekers, triggered by concerns over public safety after individuals were charged with sexual assault.
Polls show immigration has overtaken the economy as the main issue for British voters. Reform UK, which has four MPs but is leading in surveys of voting intentions, is pressuring Labour prime minister Keir Starmer to act on the issue.
Britain received 108,100 asylum applications in 2024, almost 20 per cent more than the previous year. The largest groups of applicants were from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran and Bangladesh. Numbers arriving by small boats across the Channel also hit a record this year.
Deportation target of 600,000
Reform said it could deport 600,000 asylum seekers in its first term in power if it wins the next election, due by 2029. At the press conference, Farage asked Reform official Zia Yusuf if the target of 500,000 to 600,000 deportations was possible.
Starmer’s government, like previous ones, has struggled with undocumented migration. Reform’s plan includes deals with Afghanistan, Eritrea and other countries to repatriate nationals who entered Britain illegally.
Government response
Government minister Matthew Pennycook dismissed the plans as "a series of gimmicks" and said the ECHR underpinned agreements such as the Good Friday Agreement, which ended decades of violence in Northern Ireland.
Farage said the peace deal could be renegotiated but added it would take years.
On Tuesday, an Ethiopian asylum seeker went on trial accused of sexual assaults against a woman and a teenage girl, an arrest that sparked protests last month.
Farage presses case
Farage said he was the only leader willing to take steps to address public concerns.
"It's about whose side are you on," he said. "Are you on the side of women and children being safe on our streets, or are you on the side of outdated international treaties backed up by a series of dubious courts?"
Starmer’s government has pledged to target smuggling gangs by reforming the asylum appeals process and recruiting more enforcement staff.
The previous Conservative government’s plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda was ruled unlawful by Britain’s top court.
Conservative Party response
In response to the Reform immigration press conference, Chris Philp MP, shadow Home secretary, said: “Nigel Farage is simply re-heating and recycling plans that the Conservatives have already announced.
“Earlier this year we introduced and tabled votes on our Deportation Bill in Parliament, detailing how we would disapply the Human Rights Act from all immigration matters, and deport every illegal immigrant on arrival.
“Months later, Reform have not done the important work necessary to get a grip on the immigration crisis and instead have produced a copy and paste of our proposals. Only Kemi Badenoch and the Conservatives are doing the real work needed to end this scourge – with further, detailed plans to be announced shortly.”
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CHILDREN should start learning about democracy from the age of 11 so that they are ready to take part in elections when they turn 16, the head of the UK’s elections regulator has said.
Vijay Rangarajan, chief executive of the Electoral Commission, explained that the watchdog is developing teaching material for schools in response to the government’s decision to extend voting rights to 16- and 17-year-olds.
At first, the resources will be aimed at pupils aged 14 and over, but he stressed that proper preparation would mean beginning at the start of secondary school.
Speaking to The Guardian, Rangarajan stressed that classroom lessons must remain impartial. “Teachers need to be very clear when something is just their personal opinion,” he said, urging staff to avoid letting political beliefs influence teaching. “We are putting huge effort into ensuring the material is neutral.”
His comments come as debates continue about bias in education. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has claimed schools are “full of leftwing prejudice” and hostile to his party.
Rangarajan acknowledged that political parties are worried about partiality, but said the Commission’s work is focused on ensuring trust.
Surveys suggest schools are not yet fully preparing pupils for the vote. A poll of 6,000 teachers by Teacher Tapp revealed that over four in five do not think the current curriculum gives students the knowledge they need to vote at 16. Around half of 16- and 17-year-olds also admit they feel under-informed about politics.
Experience from Scotland, where 16-year-olds were able to vote in the 2014 independence referendum and now vote in Holyrood and local elections, showed why schools must be engaged. Rangarajan said teaching there had been inconsistent and sometimes avoided. “That’s why we are getting on with this early,” he was quoted as saying. “Teachers need support so they are confident in handling sensitive topics.”
The Commission’s materials will also address how to judge online information and recognise misinformation. Rangarajan argued that early education could help young voters form lifelong democratic habits.
His remarks were made after the government announced wider reforms, including tougher rules on party funding, higher fines for breaches, stronger action against abuse of candidates and steps towards automatic voter registration.
Rangarajan welcomed moves to close loopholes that allow foreign money into politics, something the Commission has pushed for since 2013.
However, he repeated calls for the regulator’s independence to be restored. Under Boris Johnson’s government, ministers were given the power to set the Commission’s priorities, ending its full autonomy.
“A government relies on elections to stay in power,” he warned. “It should not be directing the body that oversees those elections.”
The elections chief also highlighted growing risks from online abuse, particularly against women and ethnic minority candidates. He warned that deepfake pornography is already being used to intimidate female politicians.
The Commission is working with police and IT specialists in pilot schemes in Scotland to identify and stop such attacks.
On political donations, Rangarajan said cryptocurrency gifts should not be banned, despite concerns over traceability. Parties already receive unusual contributions, such as artwork or yacht use, which can be just as difficult to assess, he noted.
According to Rangarajan, the biggest challenge now is maintaining faith in democratic institutions. “We need to equip young people with knowledge and confidence,” he said, “while making sure the system itself remains transparent and fair.”
The Siddhashram Community Hub in Harrow hosted a special gathering of devotion and culture as the Indian diaspora came together to honour Shri Pankajbhai Modi from Gujarat, India. Pankajbhai spent five days in London attending a Shiv Katha at Siddhashram in remembrance of the Air India Air Crash victims, an offering that resonated deeply with the audience.
The event took place on 22 August 2025 in the divine presence of HH Shri Rajrajeshwar Guruji, whose vision and guidance have united communities across the UK. The occasion was further blessed by Param Pujya Shri Jogi Dada, Param Pujya Shri Maheshbhai Bhatt, and Shri Dhruv Bhatt.
In his address, Pankajbhai Modi urged families to uphold their roots through language and culture. “If you are Indian, speak your language with pride. At home, embrace your mother tongue with respect,” he said.
Guruji, praising Pankajbhai’s humility, described him as “a saint in civil duties, devoted to service and unity.”
The evening included a cultural performance by Chittal Vyas and her team, and the presence of distinguished guests such as Radhika Rupani and family, along with community leaders from Mahavir Foundation, The Jain Centre, Anoopam Mission, and Pinner Swaminarayan Mandir.
The gathering ended with a strong call for unity, service, and cultural pride, reinforcing the values that continue to strengthen the diaspora in the UK.
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Zia Yusuf said the party would consider paying the Taliban to take back migrants who entered Britain illegally. (Photo: Getty Images)
REFORM UK would consider paying the Taliban to take back migrants who entered Britain illegally, former party chairman Zia Yusuf has said.
Yusuf told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme he believed it was “quite reasonable” for the UK government to offer money to Afghanistan’s regime as part of a returns deal.
He said: “Well, we have a £2bn budget to offer countries… It's not a drop in the ocean to Afghanistan, certainly not a drop in the ocean for Eritrea, the two countries that are top of the list of boat crossings.”
He added: “This country already gives £151m a year to Afghanistan in the form of foreign aid. I think it's quite reasonable.”
The comments come as Nigel Farage prepares to set out Reform’s plan on illegal migration, including leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, scrapping the Human Rights Act and introducing a British Bill of Rights.
The party would also deport those arriving by small boats to their country of origin or third countries.
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook criticised Reform’s plans, calling them “put together on the back of a fag packet” in an interview with Sky News.
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Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Bihar party president Rajesh Ram and others during 'Voter Adhikar Yatra', in Bihar. (AICC via PTI Photo)
INDIA’s opposition Congress party leaders Rahul Gandhi and his sister, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, intensified their attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Patry (BJP) and the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing them of colluding to “steal votes” in Bihar state, which goes to the polls later this year.
Priyanka joined Rahul at a protest on Tuesday (26) in Supaul, Bihar, alleging that the ruling coalition in Bihar, led by the BJP, had “lost the trust of the people” and was now “hatching a conspiracy to steal votes across the country.”
“The voting rights of millions of poor and deprived citizens are being snatched away. No power can take away this right given by the constitution. We will not allow even a single vote of the poor to be stolen,” she told supporters.
Gandhi has accused the ECI of refusing to share digital voter records, detailing what he said was a list of errors after his supporters spent weeks combing through vast piles of registration lists by hand.
Earlier this month, he claimed authorities manipulated voter rolls by adding fake names in the 2024 general election and other recent polls.
"There are serious discrepancies in the election system, and we will diligently keep exposing them,” Gandhi said.
The BJP and the Election Commission have both denied the rigging charges, which are rare in the world's most populous democracy of 1.42 billion people.
Chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar said the ECI stood “rock solid” with all voters and would not bow to political pressure. He asked opposition leaders to either provide proof of fraud under oath or apologise to the nation.
Gandhi’s comments came ahead of a closely contested state election in Bihar.
“The Bihar election is looking very close, but we are rising and they are declining,” he said.
One of India's most politically important states, Bihar goes to polls by November. It is ruled by an alliance of prime minister Narendra Modi's BJP, but according to a recent survey by the VoteVibe agency, the opposition has an edge largely because of a lack of jobs.
Gandhi launched a month-long "voter rights" rally in the key battleground state of Bihar on August 17, receiving an enthusiastic public response.
India's top court stepped in last week, allowing a biometric ID most residents possess to be accepted in Bihar's voter registration. The "Special Intensive Revision" (SIR) of voter registration is set to be replicated across India.
Gandhi called the exercise in Bihar the "final conspiracy".
Voter verification in Bihar is scheduled to be completed by September 25, with the final list released five days later.
"They aim to steal the elections by adding new voters under the guise of SIR and removing existing voters," Gandhi said.
The ECI has defended the registration revision, saying it is in part to avoid "foreign illegal immigrants" from voting.
Members of Modi's BJP have long claimed that large numbers of undocumented Muslim migrants from neighbouring Bangladesh have fraudulently entered India's electoral rolls.