Top UK lawyer who defeated Boris Johnson’s government advises Singapore PM’s estranged nephew Li Shengwu

Facing contempt charges in the Lion City, the US-based economist has revealed that David Pannick QC is ‘advising’ him in politically charged case

Pannick defeated Johnson’s attempt to suspend the UK parliament in an apparent attempt to force through a no-deal Brexit

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David Pannick arrives at the Supreme Court of the UK hearing on September 19 over British PM Boris Johnson’s decision to prorogue parliament ahead of Brexit. Photo: Reuters

Published: 10:38pm, 25 Sep 2019Updated: 5:55pm, 18 Dec 2019

Li Shengwu, a nephew of Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, has revealed he is taking advice from a Queen’s Counsel who helped defeat the British government’s recent attempt to suspend parliament.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Li Shengwu – who is facing contempt of court charges linked to a bitter family feud – said his legal team had been taking advice from David Pannick for the past two years.

Legal heavyweight Pannick and fellow Queen’s Counsel Tom Hickman, both of London’s Blackstone Chambers, were the barristers for the activist and businesswoman Gina Miller – one of the parties who brought legal action against British Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s prorogation of parliament.

The British Supreme Court voted 11-0 in favour of the petitioners on Tuesday, dealing a major blow to Johnson’s government and forcing the reopening of the legislature.

Critics have charged that Johnson had unlawfully advised Queen Elizabeth to suspend parliament for five weeks so he did not have to deal with a House that overwhelmingly opposed his strategy for Brexit.