Johnson decided to suspend parliament 'two weeks before asking Queen'

PM ticked secret memo while refusing to confirm decision in public, Edinburgh court hears

" Rolling coverage of the day's political developments as they happen

Boris Johnson had secretly decided to suspend parliament nearly two weeks before asking the Queen, according to memos from Downing Street read out in court.

The court in Edinburgh heard the first memo was written by Nikki da Costa, the prime minister's senior legal adviser, on 15 August and spelled out the plan to suspend parliament in the week beginning 9 September.