Boris Johnson’s decision to prorogue parliament for five weeks is legal, the high court in London has ruled.

The case was brought by businesswoman Gina Miller, who argued the move was “an unlawful abuse of power”.

In a judgment handed down by three of the most senior judges in England and Wales, the prime minister was found to have acted lawfully in the advice he gave to the Queen to suspend parliament from next week.

The prime minister announced on 28 August he wanted to shut down Parliament, a process known as proroguing, for five weeks ahead of a Queen’s Speech on 14 October.

His political opponents argued Mr Johnson’s aim was to avoid parliamentary scrutiny and to stop them passing legislation that would prevent the UK leaving the European Union without a deal on 31 October.