FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4231491, 4231476, 4231482

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he strongly disagrees with the Supreme Court ruling that Parliament's suspension was illegal.

He says the government will respect the decision but indicated he could try to suspend it again.

Johnson said in New York Tuesday that "I strongly disagree with this decision of the Supreme Court" and "I don't think this was the right decision."

He added: "It's perfectly usual to have a Queen's Speech, that's what we want to do."

The Queen's Speech outlines the government's plan for the coming session of Parliament.

Johnson's office meanwhile said he will not resign.

Downing St. said Johnson will fly back from a U.N. General Assembly in New York overnight, earlier than planned.

That will bring him back to London by the time Parliament resumes on Wednesday.

This comes as UK House of Commons Speaker John Bercow welcomed the Supreme Court's ruling that the suspension of Parliament was illegal and said that members are set to resume their work on Wednesday morning.

He said citizens are "entitled" to have Parliament perform its core constitutional duties.

Whitle an anti-government protester outside the court welcomed the ruling and said MP's should go back to Parliament as soon as possible.

"We are in a national crisis right now, and we leave the European Union in just over a month so we need to get back in there and start talking about it because if we don't then we're gonna have some big problems," said Jacob Archbold.

Pro-Brexit demonstrators, meanwhile, chanted slogans of support for Johnson.

But Brexit supporter Michael McFadden also said that Johnson and the Conservatives had "destroyed themselves" and accused former Prime Minister Theresa May of making Brexit backers "look a bunch of fools and we are not a bunch of fools."

The landmark decision immediately prompted calls for Johnson to quit.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

New York - 24 September 2019

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Boris Johnson, British Prime Minister:

"I strongly disagree with this decision of the Supreme Court. I have the utmost respect for our judiciary. I don't think this was the right decision. I think that the prerogative of prorogation has been used for centuries without this kind of challenge. It's perfectly usual to have a Queen's Speech, that's what we want to do. But more importantly let's be in no doubt, there are a lot of people who want to frustrate Brexit. There are a lot of people who basically want to stop this country coming out of the EU."

++SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASH++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Boris Johnson, British Prime Minister:

"As the law stands we leave on October the 31st and I'm very hopeful that we will get a deal and I think what the people of the country want is to see our parliamentarians coming together, working on, in the national interest to get this thing done and that's what we're going to do."

++SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASH++

UK POOL

London – 24 September 2019

3. SOUNDBITE (English) John Bercow, Speaker of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom:

"In the light of that explicit judgment I have instructed the House authorities to prepare, not for the recall - the prorogation was unlawful and is void - to prepare for the resumption of the business of the House of Commons. Specifically, I've instructed the House authorities to undertake such steps as are necessary to ensure that the House of Commons sits tomorrow and that it does so at eleven thirty AM (10:30 GMT)."

ASSOCIATED PRESS

London - 24 September 2019

4. "Anti-government protester wearing a Boris Johnson puppet head, holding a placard reading (English) "Boris Johnson guilty."

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Jacob Archbold, 21-year-old anti-Brexit protester:

"They need to get back in and start debating Brexit. It's the big issue of the day, we are in a national crisis right now, and we leave the European Union in just over a month so we need to get back in there and start talking about it because if we don't then we're gonna have some big problems, so great ruling today and hopefully we're gonna be able to get back in there and get talking about Brexit."

6. Various of pro-Brexit protesters holding banner reading (English) "Brexit Now"

7. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael McFadden, Pro-Brexit protester:

"You know I'm not trying to be diplomatic, I'm just trying to be realistic, it's not winning or losing, what happens here today we are all gonna lose from it and (UK Prime Minister Boris) Johnson and the Tory party they all have destroyed themselves, there will be no Tory party after this. (Former UK Prime Minister) Theresa May just made us look a bunch of fools and we are not a bunch of fools. The fact that we don't riot around the streets, yet, doesn't mean we are afraid to."

8. Pro-Brexit protesters chanting "We love Boris"

In a major blow to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Britain's highest court ruled Tuesday that his decision to suspend Parliament for five weeks in the crucial countdown to the country's Brexit deadline was illegal.

The unanimous, strongly worded Supreme Court judgment declared the order to suspend Parliament "void and of no effect."

The court found that Johnson acted to limit debate on Britain's impending departure from the European Union in violation of Parliament's constitutional role.

House of Commons Speaker John Bercow welcomed the historic verdict and said Parliament would resume its business Wednesday morning.

There will not be a Prime Minister Questions session in Parliament on Wednesday because Johnson is in New York for the U.N. General Assembly.

An anti-government protester outside the court welcomed the ruling and said MP's should go back to Parliament as soon as possible.

"We are in a national crisis right now, and we leave the European Union in just over a month so we need to get back in there and start talking about it because if we don't then we're gonna have some big problems," said Jacob Archbold.

Pro-Brexit demonstrators, meanwhile, chanted slogans of support for Johnson.

But Brexit supporter Michael McFadden also said that Johnson and the Conservatives had "destroyed themselves" and accused former Prime Minister Theresa May of making Brexit backers "look a bunch of fools and we are not a bunch of fools."

The landmark decision immediately prompted calls for Johnson to quit.

He has not yet commented on the ruling but had said earlier that he would comply with the court's decision.

London - 24 September 2019

1. Various of anti-government protester wearing a Boris Johnson puppet head, holding a placard reading (English) "Boris Johnson guilty."

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Jacob Archbold, 21-year-old anti-Brexit protester:

"Well, Parliament should come back and sit, I have seen already a few photos of MPs already sitting back in the House of Commons and, you know, they need to get back in and start debating Brexit. It's the big issue of the day, we are in a national crisis right now, and we leave the European Union in just over a month so we need to get back in there and start talking about it because if we don't then we're gonna have some big problems, so great ruling today and hopefully we're gonna be able to get back in there and get talking about Brexit."

3. Various of pro-Brexit protesters holding banner reading (English) "Brexit Now"

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael McFadden, Pro-Brexit protester:

"You know I'm not trying to be diplomatic, I'm just trying to be realistic, it's not winning or losing, what happens here today we are all gonna lose from it and (UK Prime Minister Boris) Johnson and the Tory party they all have destroyed themselves, there will be no Tory party after this. (Former UK Prime Minister) Theresa May just made us look a bunch of fools and we are not a bunch of fools. The fact that we don't riot around the streets, yet, doesn't mean we are afraid to."

5. Various of pro-Brexit protesters

6. Protesters chanting pro-Boris Johnson chant UPSOUND (English): "We love you Boris, we do, oh Boris we love you."

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon on Tuesday said she was "disappointed" after Britain's Supreme Court ruled that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will not need to be consulted before starting the process of leaving the European Union.

Speaking in Edinburgh, Sturgeon said, despite the ruling, that it was the UK government's "political obligation...to listen to the devolved administrations."

She also welcomed the news that MPs will vote on the triggering of Article 50.

++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY BLACK FRAMES++

POOL

Edinburgh - 24 January 2017

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister:

"Well I welcome the Supreme Court ruling that an act of parliament is required in the House of Commons before the triggering of Article 50. I think that ruling is an indictment of a UK government that thought it could press ahead without any reference to Parliament whatsoever. So it's now vital that parliament gets the chance to debate and decide upon, not just the triggering of Article 50 but I think the terms of the negotiating position as well, and SNP MPs will seek to work with others to stop a hard Brexit in its tracks."

++BLACK FRAMES++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister:

"Scotland voted against Brexit and therefore I think it is inconceivable that SNP MPs would vote for the triggering of Article 50. But I think it's important that the House of Commons and parliament is involved not just in that narrow question whether to trigger Article 50 but also the terms of the negotiations. The Prime Minister set it last week, a path towards the hardest of hard Brexits. I don't believe there's a majority for that in the House of Commons and I certainly don't believe there's majority for that across the country so this is an opportunity for the House of Commons to assert itself and to have a say not just on the narrow question but on the broader terms of negotiations as well."

++BLACK FRAMES++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister:

"I am disappointed at the Supreme Court ruling about the rule of the devolved administrations and I think it raises a really important question for the UK government after the Smith Commission following the independence referendum. They were at great pains to see that the Sewel Convention was to be embedded in legislation and therefore that it was taking on a more important role in the devolved arrangements. Now, what was the point of embedding it in legislation if it's not legally enforceable? I think that commitment from the UK government today has been shown to be not worth the paper it's written on. That said the court is very clear, that Brexit will touch upon the devolved competencies of the devolved administrations and recognises the importance of Sewel as a political convention. So I think that there's still a political obligation for the UK government to listen to the devolved administrations, we will certainly bring forward a legislative consent motion because I think it's important that the Scottish Parliament has the right to vote on whether or not it is prepared to consent the triggering or not of Article 50."

++BLACK FRAMES++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister:

"But there's nothing in the Supreme Court's ruling that's says that Sewel Convention should be ignored completely as a political convention. Clearly Brexit impinges upon the devolved competencies, not just of the Scottish parliament but the Welsh Assembly and the Northern Irish Assembly, as well. And I think it's a matter of democratic principle that the Scottish parliament on such a big fundamental issue with so many implications for the devolved settlements should have a say on whether or not it consents to the triggering of Article 50. So we will bring forward a motion that allows the Scottish Parliament to do that and I will then hope that the UK government would pay attention to it."

++BLACK FRAMES++

5. SOUNDBITE (English) Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's First Minister:

"I have made very clear that that option is very very much on the table and as I have said before with every day that passes right now it's becoming clearer that Scotland's voice cannot and is not able to be heard within the UK on this question. That raises big issues. I have set down a path of process of exhausting and exploring all options. I will continue to do that but be in no doubt that I think the decision is looming for Scotland. Are we prepared to allow our future to be dictated by a Westminster government that's gone down a path I think the majority of people in Scotland do not want to go down or are we going to take our futures in our own hands?"

++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++

UK Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay said Thursday that his government will respect the outcome of an expected ruling by Britain's top court on whether Prime Minister Boris Johnson acted unlawfully when he suspended Parliament.

Johnson sent lawmakers home until 14 October, and his opponents claim he did it to prevent them scrutinizing his plan to take Britain out of the EU at the end of next month, with or without a divorce deal.

Speaking during a visit to Madrid, Barclay said the government would "abide" by the Supreme Court's ruling.

The court was hearing final arguments Thursday. Judges were set to hear from a lawyer for the former prime minister, John Major, who is among those challenging the decision by Johnson, one of his successors as Conservative leader.

Opponents have also accused the prime minister of misleading Queen Elizabeth II, whose formal approval was needed to suspend the legislature.

The government says the suspension is routine and not motivated by Brexit, and argues that judges should not interfere in politics.

Madrid - 19 September 2019

1. UK Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay entering breakfast meeting with Spanish business leaders

2. Conference sign

3. Wide of Barclay

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephen Barclay, UK Brexit Secretary:

"And it is absolutely the correct process that on these matters, then the Supreme Court will form a view and I await that judgement and we of course as a government will abide by it."

5. Camera

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephen Barclay, UK Brexit Secretary:

"This was a clear democratic decision of the British people (EU referendum), it is damaging, I think, for democracy if people start to say they will pick and choose which democratic votes they adhere to, I don't think that's what politicians should do so it is important that we deliver on the result. There is time from the (European) Council to the 31st of October. And parliament, there is one thing as the minister for Brexit I can assure you of is parliament has not had a shortage of time to discuss the issue of Brexit."

7. Attendees

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Stephen Barclay, UK Brexit Secretary:

"The UK government abides by the law, the ministerial code requires ministers, including myself to abide by the law, and of course we will abide by the law. Now that it is not to say that we won't look at it closely and test exactly where we are."

9. Wide of Barclay

Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn has welcomed Tuesday's Supreme Court ruling that UK parliament should be consulted before the government triggers Article 50 to leave the European Union.

The Labour party leader said he would not block the government's plan to invoke Article 50 by the end of March, saying "it doesn't mean we abdicate the field, it means we then hold the government to account".

UK POOL

London - 24 January 2017

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Corbyn, British opposition Labour party leader:

"We will support Article 50 being triggered, we have made that very, very clear. That is the result of the referendum and we have to respect that. It doesn't mean we abdicate the field, it means we have to hold the government to account on the issues of trade, the issues of rights and the issues of the long-term direction in which this country wants to go. Because the strange thing about the Prime Minister's speech was this implied threat that if Europe doesn't do what she wants, then she's going to turn us into some Singapore-style economy on the shores of Europe. Well, that is not what people voted for, people voted for leaving the European Union, they didn't vote to vote themselves out of work."

++BLACK++

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Corbyn, British opposition Labour party leader:

"I think it's quite appalling that the government has not produced a White Paper as a statement of what its intents are. All we have is a speech that the Prime Minister made at Lancaster House, we've got the court judgement this morning and we're going to have a statement apparently from David Davis (UK Brexit Secretary) a bit later on today in the House. Frankly, there should be a proper statement of what the government intends to do on this. We have been making the point ever since the referendum that parliament must be involved. We must be able to hold the government to account, that's what parliament exists for, to hold them to account to make sure that the negotiations actually are for the benefit of all the people of this country, however they voted in the referendum."

++BLACK++

3. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Corbyn, British opposition Labour party leader:

"I don't think it's good enough. We cannot say, okay, Article 50, you go off and negotiate and in two year's time you come back with a vote. That's not acceptable. We need to be informed, be able to challenge, be able to overturn if necessary, the objectives and direction in which the government is going on those negotiations. There is also going to be the Great Repeal Bill which will come up presumably during the coming summer. That's going to be an enormous piece of legislation because it is amending 40 years of UK parliamentary legislation, all of which at some point or the other usually refers to European regulations. But we're very clear; we're going to hold them to account. We're going to hold them to account to protect jobs, we're going to hold them to account to make sure British industry does have market access and we're not going to allow ourselves to become some kind of off-shore tax haven. That's not what people voted for."

++BLACK++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Jeremy Corbyn, British opposition Labour party leader:

"Look every MP represents a constituency, every MP has people that voted either way in the referendum. Every MP represents a constituency and people are worried. They're worried about jobs, they're worried about services, they're worried about rights. There's a whole sense that we will succeed in uniting people around the objectives of the kind of decent, inclusive, caring society we want in Britain. We don't want to become a haven for funny money and dodgy tax avoiders."

++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he strongly disagrees with the Supreme Court ruling that Parliament's suspension was illegal.

He said the government will respect the decision but indicated he could try to suspend it again.

"It's an unusual judgment to come to, in my view. Parliament has used prorogation for many... the prerrogative of prorogation is a very old one and it's not I think been contested before in this way,"Johnson said in New York, where he was attending the U.N. General Assembly.

Johnson did not rule out trying to suspend Parliament again.

"I don't think that the justices remotely excluded the possibility of having a Queen's Speech but what we will certainly do is ensure that Parliament has plenty of time to debate Brexit," Johnson said.

The unanimous, strongly worded Supreme Court judgment on Tuesday declared Johnson's order to suspend Parliament "void and of no effect."

The court found that Johnson acted to limit debate by lawmakers on Britain's impending departure from the European Union in violation of Parliament's constitutional role.

Johnson's office said, due to the ruling, the prime minister will fly back to London overnight from New York, earlier than planned, arriving by the time Parliament resumes.

UK POOL

New York - 24 September 2019

1. Various of British Prime Minister Boris Johnson

2. SOUNDBITE (English) Boris Johnson, British Prime Minister:

++INCLUDES JOURNALIST QUESTION OFF CAMERA++

Journalist question off camera: "You say you want to get on with the Queen's Speech but you can't prorogue. The court found that would be unlawful and undemocratic at this time."

Johnson: "I'm not certain that the justices did say that. I think that they certainly thought that the prorogation that we chose was not something that they could approve of. It's an unusual judgment to come to, in my view. Parliament has used prorogation for many... the prerrogative of prorogation is a very old one and it's not I think been contested before in this way. The main thing is that we're going to get on and deliver Brexit on October 31st. Yes of course, Parliament will now have to come back but we'll respect that and get on with it."

3. Close up of Johnson ++REPEAT OF SHOT 1++

4. SOUNDBITE (English) Boris Johnson, British Prime Minister:

++INCLUDES JOURNALIST QUESTION OFF CAMERA++

Journalist question off camera: "So you mean some press ahead with a fresh, as it were, prorogation even though the court has given the verdict, the highly critical verdict that it has, because as of now Parliament is still sitting in session."

Johnson: "Yes, that's right. But I don't think that the justices remotely excluded the possibility of having a Queen's Speech but what we will certainly do is ensure that Parliament has plenty of time to debate Brexit. Parliament has been debating Brexit for three years solidly. Now is the chance for us to get a deal, come out of the EU on October 31st and that's what we're gonna do."

5. Various of Johnson getting his picture taken and walking away

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.

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

The deputy leader of the Irish Republican party, Sinn Fein, has called on British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign following a court ruling by the Supreme Court on Tuesday that his decision to suspend Parliament for five weeks in the crucial countdown to the country's Brexit deadline was illegal.

"I believe on the back of this ruling today and all of that mess that dominates the British political landscape for the last two and a half years, Boris Johnson should go. Boris Johnson should resign. Boris Johnson is not in command of his own agenda,"  Michelle O'Neill said.

The unanimous, strongly worded Supreme Court judgment declared the order to suspend Parliament "void and of no effect."

The court found that Johnson acted to limit debate on Britain's impending departure from the European Union in violation of Parliament's constitutional role.

Downing Street said on Tuesday that Johnson, who is in New York to attend a UN summit, will not resign as prime minister in the wake of the ruling.

Belfast - 24 September 2019

1. Wide of Sinn Fein headquarters

2. Mural on building

3. Letters reading Sinn Fein on exterior of building

4. Banner on wall calling for Irish unification

5. Sinn Fein deputy leader Michelle O'Neill approaching microphones

6. SOUNDBITE (English) Michelle O'Neill, Sinn Fein Deputy Leader:

"It clearly again demonstrates that this British government has lost control of its own agenda. It is a constitutional crisis - we've been saying that for some time - and I believe this is another one of those meltdown moments for this British government. All the while while that mess continues, while that chaos continues, while the Tory party fight internally, what we have here is a situation where the people did not vote for Brexit. There is not one good, positive thing to point to in terms of this Brexit agenda. It's reckless, it's catastrophic for our people and our industries."

7. Cutaway of cameraman

8. SOUNDBITE (English) Michelle O'Neill, Sinn Fein Deputy Leader:

"So we are 37 days out from the Brexit deadline, the 'do-or-die' agenda of Boris Johnson. But at the end of the day, the people here need a deal, the agri-food industry needs a deal, the services sector needs a deal, manufacturing needs a deal. So I believe on the back of this ruling today and all of that mess that dominates the British political landscape for the last two and a half years, Boris Johnson should go. Boris Johnson should resign. Boris Johnson is not in command of his own agenda. What I'm interested in is standing up for the interests of people who live here in this island, and what I'm interested in is standing very firm against the reckless Tory-DUP Brexit agenda."

9. Pan of Sinn Fein sign

The leader of Catalonia's failed secession bid in 2017 says that Spain will seek "vengeance" rather than justice when 12 of his separatist allies stand trial next week accused of rebellion and other charges.

Carles Puigdemont, who will follow the trial from self-imposed exile in Belgium, accused EU countries of double standards for recognizing Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as that country's interim president, while ignoring his attempt to declare independence for Catalonia.

The former Catalan regional president slipped out of Spain after the government removed him from office following the regional parliament's declaration of independence on Oct. 27, 2017.

Twelve other separatists will go on trial in Spain's Supreme Court on Feb. 12 on charges including rebellion and sedition.

"We are all supporting them, helping them because they are suffering a terribly unjust and humiliating situation and being used to set an example," Puigdemont said in the interview in the Belgian town of Waterloo, south of Brussels.

The trial, he said, "will not be an act of justice but rather one of vengeance."

Spanish Supreme Court President Carlos Lesmes has dismissed such claims, insisting the trial will follow the "highest standards set by the European Union."

The trial will be broadcast on TV from Madrid. A request by defense lawyers to have Puigdemont testify via video conference was refused.

Instead, he will watch the proceedings from his home in Waterloo, a two-story brick house bordered by trimmed hedges.

Puigdemont said that what he expects will be a guilty verdict for his fellow separatists, including members of his defunct Cabinet, would only provide momentum to the separatist movement, which he predicted would gain the support of a clear majority of Catalans.

"That moment will arrive and when it does we will have all the legitimacy to take the decisions that we have already decided in parliament and have ratified in a plebiscite," he said, adding that the declaration of independence was still valid.

The "yes" vote won in a landslide in the October 2017 referendum, during which hundreds of people were injured in a police crackdown.

But those in favor of remaining with Spain largely stayed home, and Spain's central government declared the vote illegal and unconstitutional.

Subsequent regional elections indicated that Catalonia is evenly split between those in favor and those against independence.

Waterloo – 3 February 2019

1. Former Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, entering room

2. Puigdemont talking to journalist during interview

3. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Carles Puigdemont, former president of the regional government of Catalonia:

(Speaking about the 12 Catalan separatists who will stand trial in Spain next week):

"We are all supporting them, helping them because they are suffering a terribly unjust and humiliating situation, and are being used to set an example. The trial is not an act of justice. It will not be an act of justice but rather one of vengeance, and a punishment for future generations."

4. Cutaway Puigdemont

5. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Carles Puigdemont, former president of the regional government of Catalonia

"What will happen when they are not just three or four points of difference in favour of independence and we clearly are more than 55 percent? Are they going to carry on in the same way? These questions need to be thought through, because that moment will arrive and when it does we will have all the legitimacy to take the decisions that we have already decided in parliament and have ratified in a plebiscite. And before this I think European democracy will have to answer once and for all, because this is a European problem and a democratic problem. Finally if European democracy is so strong as to recognise a self-proclaimed president in Venezuela without passing through an election, one must similarly answer questions about domestic matters. What happens when a democratically elected parliament is dissolved, when a democratically elected president is deposed via a coup, Article 155 (constitutional article allowing the Spanish government to suspend any region's self-government should it disobey the law or attack Spain's general interests)? The European Union needs to answer to this. This is going to happen, this is going to come; and whether they will condemn, absolve or persecute us, the over two million of Catalans who have mentally detached themselves from Spain will continue to do so, and we will need a political solution to this."

6. Cutaway Puigdemont

7. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Carles Puigdemont, former president of the regional government of Catalonia

"As for Brexit, despite the fact it was a result that I did not like, despite the fact that it's a loss for Europe to see British democracy leave, there is the legitimacy of a referendum and a decision that was taken legitimately on this matter. And regarding this decision there needs to be a complex political reaction, not an easy and childish one. It's the same for the Catalonia case or for the negotiations about the accession of a country into the European Union. How many years have there been negotiations or conversations with Turkey, or with those in the list of nations that the European Union would like to incorporate, Kosovo or Macedonia? It will take years. Of course citizens may suffer the consequences in the process, there are transition costs that come with independence, of course there are costs, like Brexit, this is undeniable. There are also costs to dependence that one must put on the table."

8. Cutaway Puigdemont

9. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Carles Puigdemont, former president of the regional government of Catalonia

"Catalonia declared its independence. Catalonia is not recognised by any country, Catalonia today is a de facto political subject, much more than it was a year and a half or two years ago. The persistence and will of the people to be independent remains, it's an evolution and one cannot stop the natural evolution of things."

10. Cutaway Puigdemont

11. Exterior of Puigdemont's Belgian residence

12. Pan left road leading to Puigdemont Belgian residence

13. Supporter holding Catalonia flag and talking to another girl in front of Puigdemont Belgian residence

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says he strongly disagrees with the Supreme Court ruling that Parliament's suspension was illegal.

He says the government will respect the decision but indicated he could try to suspend it again.

Johnson said in New York Tuesday that "I strongly disagree with this decision of the Supreme Court" and "I don't think this was the right decision."

He added: "It's perfectly usual to have a Queen's Speech, that's what we want to do."

The Queen's Speech outlines the government's plan for the coming session of Parliament.

Johnson's office meanwhile said he will not resign.

Downing St. said Johnson will fly back from a U.N. General Assembly in New York overnight, earlier than planned.

That will bring him back to London by the time Parliament resumes on Wednesday.

UK POOL

New York - 24 September 2019

++STARTS AND ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++

1. SOUNDBITE (English) Boris Johnson, British Prime Minister:

"I strongly disagree with this decision of the Supreme Court. I have the utmost respect for our judiciary. I don't think this was the right decision. I think that the prerogative of prorogation has been used for centuries without this kind of challenge. It's perfectly usual to have a Queen's Speech, that's what we want to do. But more importantly let's be in no doubt, there are a lot of people who want to frustrate Brexit. There are a lot of people who basically want to stop this country coming out of the EU and we have a Parliament that is unable to be prorogued, unable to...doesn't want to have an election and I think it's time we took things forward."

(Journalist asking off-camera): "You said you won't extend Brexit but how do you avoid doing that now? You've run out of options."

Johnson: "Well on the contrary. As the law currently stands, the UK leaves the EU on October the 31st come what may. But the interesting thing, the exciting thing for us now is to get a good deal and that's what we're working on. And I'll be honest with you, John, it's not made much easier by this kind of stuff in Parliament or in the courts. Obviously getting a deal is not made much easier against this background but we're going to get on and do it."

(Journalist asking off-camera): "Just finally, you say as the law stands we leave on October the 31st. That's not true is it? As the law stands we cannot leave with no deal on October 31st without the permission of Parliament."

Johnson: "As the law stands we leave on October the 31st and I'm very hopeful that we will get a deal and I think what the people of the country want is to see our parliamentarians coming together, working on, in the national interest to get this thing done and that's what we're going to do."