Thread by @theSNP

First Minister @NicolaSturgeon: "We have witnessed some astonishing developments in the three years since the Brexit referendum in June 2016."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "The previous Prime Minister was forced to resign after losing three House of Commons votes on her Brexit deal.

One of those votes was lost by a record margin.

The work of the Westminster Parliament has ground to a halt."

@NicolaSturgeon FM: "It is important to note that this has significant implications for this Parliament in areas - such as social security and No Deal preparations - where we require cooperation to deliver our own commitments."

FM: "In recent weeks, the UK government has lost control of the Commons and now, even with the support of the DUP, it has no workable majority.

This is a Prime Minister who has yet to win a single vote in the Commons since he took office."

FM: "All of that is extraordinary and unprecedented.

But none of these extraordinary events compare with what has happened today."

FM: "Today’s judgment of the Supreme Court may be about the prorogation of another parliament - but the circumstances giving rise to it, and the implications of it, are of enormous significance to this parliament and to the people of Scotland."

FM: "That is why the Lord Advocate intervened in this case, on behalf of the Scottish Government."

FM: "Let me turn to the terms of the judgment.

The UK Supreme Court has this morning upheld the judgment of the Inner House of the Court of Session.

It has ruled - and done so unanimously - that the British Prime Minister acted unlawfully by suspending the UK Parliament."

FM: "The president of the court, Lady Hale, said: “The effect on the fundamentals of our democracy was extreme.”"

FM: "We should not allow the chaos and unprecedented events of the last three years to diminish or obscure the gravity of what the court has decided today.

For the sake of democracy, we must not allow the abnormal and unacceptable to become normal and acceptable."

FM: "It is truly historic and unprecedented in our modern democracy that a Prime Minister has been held to have broken the law in order to “frustrate or prevent the ability of Parliament to carry out its constitutional functions”."

FM: "It is hard to think of another democratic country where there has been a more damning verdict on the behaviour of a Prime Minister."

FM: "The judgment could not be starker. “It is impossible to conclude”, said the Supreme Court, “that there was any reason - let alone a good reason - to advise Her Majesty to prorogue Parliament for five weeks.”"

FM: "This is not a technical or narrow defeat for the UK government. It is a defeat - on justiciability, on lawfulness, on remedy. And it is a defeat in terms which call into question the UK Government’s commitment to basic democratic values and the rule of law."

FM: “Let us be clear - a Prime Minister with no electoral mandate and no parliamentary majority tried to shut down Parliament."

FM: "He tried to prevent the UK Parliament from holding the UK Government to account, from exercising its democratic functions, from challenging the government, from scrutinising its actions, from holding committee meetings, and from questioning him and other Ministers."

FM: "In other words, he sought to prevent Parliament doing all the things that give meaning and life to the term ‘parliamentary democracy’.

The Supreme Court mentioned the vital role that such scrutiny has in our system of government."

FM: "The judgment even noted that in the advice sent to the Prime Minister the importance of “consultation with the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly” was not mentioned anywhere."

FM: "Statutory Instruments, required to prepare the statute book for EU exit, that this Parliament has to consent to under a protocol otherwise honoured by the UK Government…"

FM: “..were instead made under an emergency procedure without the consent of Scottish Ministers or the scrutiny of the Scottish Parliament."

FM: "“This was not a normal prorogation”, the Supreme Court ruled - “It prevented Parliament from carrying out its constitutional role for five out of a possible eight weeks between the end of summer recess and exit day”. That is scrutiny that we cannot get back."

FM: “"Nowhere in the evidence", the Supreme Court observed, “is there a hint that the Prime Minister in giving advice to Her Majesty, is more than simply the leader of the Government seeking to promote its own policies”.

FM: “Nowhere is there a hint that he has a constitutional responsibility."

FM: “This behaviour on the part of a Prime Minister shames his office, it shames the UK Government, it shames the Conservative Party and it demonstrates beyond doubt that Westminster politics is badly broken."

FM: "We should pay tribute to the campaigners in England and those in Scotland, led by Joanna Cherry MP, who brought these court actions - and let me do so now on behalf of the Scottish Government."

FM: "Indeed, it speaks volumes that in his initial reaction to the ruling, the Prime Minister has accused those who brought the actions to have the prorogation declared unlawful of trying to frustrate Brexit."

FM: "Not only is that argument wrong - it is also remarkable from a PM who also claims that prorogation had nothing to do with Brexit.

Now of course we need to look forward."

FM: "Four things should happen now.

First of all, there must be a clear recognition that the person responsible for this fiasco is the Prime Minister.

It was Boris Johnson who took the decision to prorogue Parliament."

FM: "It was Boris Johnson who acted unlawfully.

And I do not say this lightly, but it is Boris Johnson who must now resign."

FM: "It is possible for a Prime Minister to continue in office if they are unpopular.

It is even possible for a Prime Minister to survive in office if they are incompetent."

FM: "But no Prime Minister should believe that they can act with impunity and remain in office when they have acted unlawfully in the manner and circumstances set out by the Supreme Court today."

FM: "Before he became Prime Minister many of us warned that Boris Johnson was not fit to hold office.

Many argued that his past comments should have ruled him out of even running for leader of the Conservative Party."

FM: "These are political views and will of course be contested.

But the view that he should resign today is not just about politics. It should be the conclusion of anyone who believes that parliamentary democracy, accountability and the rule of law matter."

FM: "Secondly, the court has ruled today that the UK Parliament is not legally prorogued.

It must therefore return to business as soon as possible.

To that end, I welcome the statement from the Speaker of the House of Commons a short while ago that it will do so tomorrow."

FM: "Never in recent times has it been more important for all of us that this UK Government is held to account.

It is right that this work will re-start immediately."

FM: "Thirdly, the UK Government must make it absolutely clear that it will respect and adhere to the Benn Act, which is designed to prevent a disastrous No Deal crash-out of the EU."

FM: "There have been alarming whispers that the Tories are looking for technical loopholes or are prepared to simply ignore the law and press ahead with their No Deal plans."

FM: "After today we need a clear and unambiguous statement that the law will be respected and that the UK Government will ask for an extension to prevent a catastrophic no deal Brexit on October 31."

FM: "Because ultimately this is, yes, about the fundamentals of our democratic system.

But it is also about people’s jobs, about living standards, about the health and wellbeing of our communities and about our place in the world."

FM: "It is about maintaining the hard-won and precious peace in Northern Ireland.

It is about respecting the wishes of the people of Scotland and the views of this Parliament."

FM: "And it is about avoiding the disruption that we know will take place - and that the UK Government knows will take place - both in the short-term and in the long-term if any Brexit, but especially a No Deal Brexit, is allowed to happen."

FM: "Fourthly, this UK government should be removed from office as soon as possible.

There is, in truth, no functioning UK Government right now."

FM: "And as of today we know beyond doubt that to the extent that it is functioning at all, it is a government prepared to ride roughshod over democracy and the law."

FM: "It is impossible to have any confidence in this Prime Minister or the government he leads. Therefore, as soon as the risk of it being used to force through a No Deal Brexit on 31st October has been removed, there must be a general election."

FM: "Finally, this is an important time to take action but also to reflect.

Our Scottish Parliament has been reconvened for 20 years.

It was a vital step in restoring Scotland’s political voice."

FM: "Today in this chamber we need to make clear that all of us, regardless of party, stand up for democratic values.

That we condemn a Prime Minister prepared to act unlawfully to shut down Parliament."

FM: "And that we will continue to do everything we can to make Scotland’s voice heard and protect our citizens from the damage of Brexit."

FM: "And we should also resolve not to allow our Parliament or the people of Scotland to remain at the whim of an extreme, out of touch, law-breaking UK Government."

FM: "We should resolve that the better foundation on which to build the future of our country is as an independent member of the European family of nations."