London - 24 September 2019

1. Close-up of a yellow sticker on a post outside Britain's Supreme Court reading (English) "Brexit is a crime scene"

2. Close-up of court crest of arms

3. Various of man flying a balloon depicting UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson on a pole, with an "Unelected advisor" badge of political strategist Dominic Cummings around his head

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Sir Alan Duncan, Conservative Party member of parliament:

"Judges are always right so some people can disagree with the judgement if they want but I think everyone has to defend the integrity of our courts process and our judicial process, and I fully defend the integrity of the judges and the way they have behaved."

5. Various of protesters with placards outside parliament

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Jay Sills, American tourist:

"We're happy that the Supreme Court ruled that what Boris Johnson did was unlawful and I think that tomorrow is going to be very exciting here. We hope to watch as the House of Commons meets, so it's very exciting today. We're happy for the Brits that they have the rule of law here, something that we're going to have to rely on in the United States with our unlawful president."

7. Various exteriors Supreme Court, media

Belfast - 24 September 2019

8. Wide of Belfast town hall

9. People waking

10. SOUNDBITE (English) Brian Strong, Belfast resident:

"For Brexit, it'll mean parliament will be able to review what Boris' team has been discussing with the EU. For Northern Ireland specifically, it will allow the parliament to review the backstop options that are being put forward because we don't know what they are and we don't know if it's acceptable. This way, at least it becomes public because parliament can oversee the government's organisation."

12. Various of people walking

13. SOUNDBITE (English) Mairead Fox, Belfast resident:

"I'm sorry it didn't work for him (Boris Johnson) because I think he's a fair man and I think he will try and get the best Brexit for us all. So if he thought that by dissolving parliament that he was going to get it pushed through then fair enough."

14. Various street views

London - 24 September 2019

15. Various set ups of Professor Robert Hazell, University College of London

16. SOUNDBITE (English) Professor Robert Hazell, Constitution Unit, University College of London:

"What the court has reminded us is about the fundamentals of the British constitution which rests on two principles: the first is parliamentary sovereignty, but the second is parliamentary accountability and it's really important to our political system and to our democracy that parliament is in session and parliament can scrutinise and hold the government to account, particularly at such a crucial turning point as this, when we're coming towards the last 40 days before Brexit at the end of October."

17. Various of books on shelf

18. SOUNDBITE (English) Professor Robert Hazell, Constitution Unit, University College of London:

"It was a very serious defeat for the Prime Minister who is currently in New York. I would expect him to return early to the UK because parliament is going to start sitting from tomorrow morning and I expect him at the earliest opportunity to appear before parliament to explain the reasons why he asked the Queen to suspend parliament for as long as five weeks. And I hope and expect that he can also apologise for the very serious mistake that he's made. It was a serious, legal mistake. It's been ruled unlawful and it was also, clearly, a very serious political misjudgment."

19. Cutway of books

20. SOUNDBITE (English) Professor Robert Hazell, Constitution Unit, University College of London:

"I was dismayed at the Prime Minister's statement in response to the court decision. He said that he would respect the decision of the court but then in the next breath he said he disagreed with the court's ruling and its reasons. Well, in a country which observes the rule of law, respect for the court means understanding their rulings and to say that you will fully comply with them and that you will do so willingly and not reluctantly."

21. Cutaway of books

22. SOUNDBITE (English) Professor Robert Hazell, Constitution Unit, University College of London:

"So the Prime Minister will be called to give an account to parliament and he will be held to account by parliament and the only sanctions against the Prime Minister might be those from parliament. So it's possible that if the Prime Minister continues, in effect, to be defiant, and to say that he doesn't intend to follow the court's judgement, then I would expect there to be a formal no-confidence motion moved in the parliament and then the parliament might then remove him as Prime Minister."

23. Pan left from window to Hazell

24. Close-up of UCL logo on telephone

A British constitutional analyst said Tuesday's Supreme Court ruling that UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson illegally suspended parliament was a "serious defeat" for the government and that the decison upheld the "fundamentals" of the constitution.

Professor Robert Hazell of University College of London told said that the unanimous ruling was based on two principles, parliamentary sovereignty and parliamentary accountability.

Members of Parliament will resume proceedings on Wednesday instead of on October 14 - the original prorogation date which was set less than three weeks before Britain's scheduled departure from the European Union.

Hazell said the extra time for debate in the lead-up to Brexit would be "important" so "parliament can scrutinise and hold the government to account".

Johnson's Conservative Party colleague, Sir Alan Duncan, sided with the ruling and said that it was important "to defend the integrity of our courts process and our judicial process".

On the streets of Belfast in Northern Ireland, an area which could be affected by the so-called Irish "backstop" agreement, reaction to the ruling was mixed.

Resident Brian Strong said the decision would hopefully mean parliament would have more time to review the controversial backstop, which acts as an insurance policy for an open Irish border.