Supreme court where just over an hour we will have the extraordinary respectable the spectacle of the lawyer for respectable the spectacle of the lawyerforformer respectable the spectacle of the lawyer for former conservative Prime Minister sirjohn major, accusing the current conservative Prime Minister of acting unconstitutionally. Canadian Prime Ministerjustin trudeau says he deeply regrets wearing skin darkening make up at a school gala almost two decades ago. I shouldnt have done it, i should have known better. It was something that i didnt think was racist at the time but now i recognise it was something racist to do. New Research Suggests robberies are increasing at a faster rate in england and wales than in any other major developed country. And John Humphrys has presented his final edition of radio 4s today programme after 32 years on the show well be playing you his closing words. Good morning. Welcome to bbc newsroom live. David cameron has revealed for the first time how he sought the queens help during the Scottish Referendum of 2014, admitting he asked her to raise an eyebrow over the question of independence. Speaking to the bbc in the new two part series, the former Prime Minister says he approached the queen fearing he could lose the vote which would see scotland leaving the union. The queen later spoke to a well wisher of her desire for people to think very carefully about their future. Our deputy Political Editor john pienaar reports. 19,000. The moment in 2014 David Cameron realised the union was safe, for a time anyway. The Referendum Campaign for Scottish Independence had been defeated. Everybody happy . Yes, thank you. Are we running . But now, David Cameron has told the bbc how, after a startling opinion poll suggested most scots wanted independence, the queen hinted openly at her concern, and how he had a hand in it. I remember conversations i had with my private secretary, and he had with the queens private secretary, and i had with the queens private secretary, not asking for anything that would be in any way improper or unconstitutional, butjust a raising of the eyebrow, even, you know, a quarter ofan inch. We thought would, you know, make a difference. Although the words were very limited, i think it helped to put a slightly different perception on things. The convention is that the queen keeps and is kept clear of politics. It is bound up in the current controversy about brexit, where it touches the role of parliament and the Prime Minister. It is the biggest stitch up. 0n borisjohnson and brexit, mr cameron is blunt, saying the man who is now pm expected the leave campaign to lose, but hoped to gain by backing it. In the end, i think, ultimately he put what was good for his political career ahead of what he actually thought was right for the country. So more secrets, secure until now behind this door, out in the open. More tension, more controversy as if there is not enough already to be getting on with. Lets speak to our deputy Political Editor norman smith whos in westminster now. What direction has there been to this, norman . There has been no public reaction but lots of people in westminster will be extremely surprised, not just that the fact David Cameron seemed to seek the queens involvement in the referendum because, lets be honest, its been an unwritten rule of politics through the ages that the monarch is kept out of the hurly burly of daily politics because you risk compromising his or her independence. So all Prime Ministers have very carefully steered away from dragging the monarch in. David cameron not only concedes he did ask the, in effect, raise an eyebrow point give an indication of her view, however subtly. The other extraordinary thing is David Cameron should go public and openly acknowledge in this documentary he did seek the involvement of the queen. That will cause some surprise, involvement of the queen. That will cause some surprise, i imagine, within the snp, there will be particular concern at mr cameron might have sought to use her majesty to help mr cameron win that referendum. It becomes more salient now, of course, because we are in another constitutional crisis, if you like, namely the court battle currently being fought out over whether Boris Johnson currently being fought out over whether borisjohnson was right to Prorogue Parliament, whether he misled the queen or lied to the queen. Again at the moment where there are questions about politicians potentially involving the queen in the daily business of politics. Interesting as well to listen to mr cameron once again talking about the referendum, defending his decision to call its because he believed it was inevitable. Europe was changing before our eyes and he said he kind of reflected every day on the outcome of the referendum and it caused him pain to see such a divided country. Here is what he said. Standing back from this, if youre asking me do i accept a big share of the blame for the difficulties that we face in our country . Do i think about it every day, does it pain me enormously to see our politics frozen and our society divided . Yes, it does, and i do take my share of responsibility for that, of course. Not for leaving the country unprepared . Look, i dont think there was a huge amount more that could have been done than setting out the alternatives, recognising them, that i wasnt the right person to take the country forward, giving a new Prime Minister the chance to choose between those alternatives and take the country forward. And no regrets about the referendum . Ive huge regrets. Talking about the referendum, norman, Boris Johnson apparently being told according to fenlons Prime Minister, he is 12 days to sit out as brexit plans or its over finlands Prime Minister. The finnish Prime Minister using blunt language saying unless the british present their written proposals by the end of the month there will be no time to do a deal and we will have to leave without any agreement. I think they take in downing street as this is more of the diplomatic squeeze being placed on the British Government and they are not seeing it as a hard deadline after which basically the eu will shut up shop. The position number ten has taken is they will publish proposals but they want to make sure when they do so they dont get shot out of the sky straightaway. Ideas at the moment are being flouted, conversations are ongoing, to prepare this mythical Landing Strip which borisjohnson prepare this mythical Landing Strip which Boris Johnson has prepare this mythical Landing Strip which borisjohnson has talked about ideas are being floated. Went number ten are confident they will get a good healing for these proposals they will then publish them. At the moment they are being cautious because they are not convinced yet the eu is going to give them the thumbs up. Thanks very much, norman. Lets get more on David Camerons remarks about asking the palace for help durin the Scottish IndependenceReferendum Campaign our royal correspondentjonny dymond is with me now. Its amazing, isnt it, to hear him speaking like this because obviously Prime Minister and queen meet regularly but they are supposed to be completely private conversations. Its astonishing on lots of levels, this story. The first rule of the relationship between Prime Minister and queen as you never talk about the relationship. You go through endless memoirs and biographies, histories of the monarchy, you find almost nothing beyond the platitudes and here is David Cameron saying, of the most critical constitutional moment, ijust the most critical constitutional moment, i just happen the most critical constitutional moment, ijust happen to ask the queen to ask the queen if you could help out. Amazing. Then there is the question of the propriety of the rightness or wrongness of actually doing what he did. Passing the queen to intervene on a political matter. As norman said, there is a whole functioning of the system is the queen does not get involved. Finally, there is the question about the queens decision and decision of her advisers to take part in this. It may well have been she was thinking of saying something anyway, shed already spoken about the value of the union in 1977 in an address to both houses of parliament around thejubilee. To both houses of parliament around the jubilee. Clearly she to both houses of parliament around thejubilee. Clearly she is the queen of the United Kingdom, if there would be one issue she might actually say, think carefully about this, it would be the union. To do so this, it would be the union. To do so after a request had been made by the Prime Minister, i think you are looking at the history of her reign, a very conservative reign, politically, small seek conservative, is being rewritten as we see it. Small c conservative. Has there been comments from the palace . You will not get any comment from Buckingham Palace about demonics role in this but i think its clear the palace will be horrified is this has come out because as norman said, it comes at this a very delicate time where her decision to prorogue, suspend parliament effectively under instruction from Boris Johnson, suspend parliament effectively under instruction from borisjohnson, is coming under questioning by the Supreme Court and this question of what discretion she has two act, to speak, is suddenly having a spotlight thrown on it. This whole thing are supposed to function in darkness, smoothly and quietly and without controversy and suddenly eve ryo ne without controversy and suddenly everyone is saying, how does this work . . Thank you. The Supreme Court will hear submissions from the former Prime Minister sirjohn major today, who will argue borisjohnson acted unlawfully when he suspended parliament. Ben brown is outside the court for us. Quite a showdown, ben. Its the third and final day of these hearings. Effectively trying to decide the highest court in the land, trying to decide if the Prime Minister acted unlawfully when he decided to prorogue or suspend parliament for five weeks. What will be really extraordinary is we will have a lawyer representing the former conservative Prime Minister sirjohn major arguing the current conservative Prime MinisterBoris Johnson acted wrongly and unlawfully by suspending parliament. He will say the effect of suspending parliament by Boris Johnson, say the effect of suspending parliament by borisjohnson, his advice to the queen to suspend parliament, was to deprive parliament, was to deprive parliament of a voice, thats what sirjohn major will say through his lawyer. And that was motivated by his political interests in ensuring there was no activity in parliaments during the period leading up to the crucial eu summits on the 17th and 18th october. In the meantime, weve had more hearings this morning and more submissions. We heard from the lord advocate for scotland through his lawyer here, james muir qc, arguing once again on behalf of the Scottish Government the prorogation of parliament was unconstitutional. This is what he said. Dissolution paves the way for a general election. It returns matters to the electorate. By contrast, and indeed there are conventions reflected in the Cabinet Office manual about the conduct of government after the dissolution and pending an election. Prorogation, on the other hand, maintains the government in Office Without the mechanisms of accountability to parliament during the period of prorogation. So i say there is an important and significant distinction between the two powers. Could i just press you a bit more on that . Because from the governments case, their researchers suggest the only statutory obligation before the fixed term act, that was, their only statutory obligation of what was to hold a summouns of Parliament Three years after the dissolution of the previous one. If that is right and, like you i havent had time to check it, then you are really falling back on convention as a check, rather than law. It is a reflection of modern times and i suppose. I suppose one might have to consider were a government to exercise or advise her majesty to dissolve parliament, but not to proceed to an election, then, in my submission, one might well have to consider whether legal issues arose in the context of a modern, constitutional democracy. Some of the latest exchanges inside the Supreme Court. The 11 justices on the panel have to decide and we will not necessarily get their judgment this week, it might be next week. The first of what must decide if they can rule on this question of whether the Prime Minister acted lawfully over the suspension of parliament and, if so, what action do they recommend . Do they go ahead and say it was lawful parliament has to or Parliament Must be recalled. Lets go live inside the court. We heard the Scottish Government intervention, there will also be a Welsh Government intervention and were also hearing from a victim from Northern Ireland, son was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries in 1997. His qc is really arguing the suspension of parliament has been and will be more acutely and severely felt by the people of Northern Ireland. Is represented this represented United Kingdom policy and approach prior to the change of government, leadership. Paragraph 42, both parties, that is, the eu 27 states and the uk, affirm the achievements, benefits and commitments of the Peace Process will remain of paramount importance to peace, stability and reconciliation. They are greedy good friday or belfast agreement they agree the good friday agreement is must be protected in all its parts and this extends to the Practical Application of the 1998 agreements on the island of the 1998 agreements on the island of ireland and to the totality of the relationship set out in the agreement. This delicate constitutional balance which was achieved. At the bottom of paragraph 43, the United Kingdom also recalls its commitment to avoidance of a ha rd its commitment to avoidance of a hard border including any physical infrastructure and checks and controls. Both parties recognise and respect the provisions of the Agreement Regarding the constitutional status of Northern Ireland and the principle of consent. The commitment set out in the joint report must remain fully consistent with these provisions. Its really an outline of, one draws oii its really an outline of, one draws on documents to establish what our unwritten our unwritten constitution points to. This is the sort of document that helps in that process. Paragraph 46, the commitments and principles outlined are not be determined will not predetermine the outcome of later discussions. They must be upheld in all circumstances irrespective of the nature of future agreements between the eu and the uk. Im afraid youve lost me as to the bearing this has on the validity of the prorogation of parliament. This feeds into section ten of the withdrawal act. Which is an important safeguarding provision inserted by way of amendment by parliament which reflects the terms of the joint report and the policy of the joint report and the policy of not erecting a hard border on the island of ireland. What does it have to do with the prorogation of parliament . If it is done to stymie parliaments and remove the only protection available to the people of Northern Ireland, parliament will prevent the erection of a hard border, then it is relevant in that context. You can say in a sentence that it parliament is prorogued, all of the safeguards, particularly that are particularly important in Northern Ireland, would be lost. I think probably we have that point that doesnt necessarily require terrific collaboration as to how important it is. Lam not is. I am not sure how far the court would be assisted in the particular section of the yellowhammer report which lays out the calamity that will befall Northern Ireland. Perhaps. It is page 82. Paragraph 18. Whether or not with