The decision has been seen as a move to push through a no deal Brexit
Wednesday morning saw news emerge that Boris Johnson’s government would look to suspend parliament from the middle of September ahead of the Brexit deadline on October 31.
Johnson made the request to the Queen, who granted it on Wednesday afternoon.
The suspension will last five weeks – three weeks during which parliament will be in recess – meaning that opposition parties and rebel Tory MPs’ timeframe is reduced in terms of passing legislation to prevent a no deal Brexit.
The action has been met with fury by opponents of Brexit and Johnson, as well as by a number of Brexit supporters, and prompted thousands to take to the streets to protest against it. More than one million people have also signed a petition against the suspension.
“In the first three months of Boris Johnson’s time as prime minister he will have spent less than two weeks facing the House of Commons.”@hilarybennmp says Boris Johnson is undermining democracy by avoiding parliament’s scrutiny. #StopTheCoup pic.twitter.com/Jguyu1SdT1
— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) August 28, 2019
As protesters stormed College Green, JOE spoke to Labour MP for Leeds Central, Hilary Benn, who hit out at Johnson for his lack of accountability in his short time as PM.
“Johnson came to power through a coup within the Tory party. 140,000 people, white, aged, male, racist – mainly – voted for him.”
Former BBC Newsnight economics editor @paulmasonnews is calling for mass peaceful protest over the proroguing of parliament. pic.twitter.com/U4uxEmhXNI
— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) August 28, 2019
Stronger words came from former BBC Newsnight economics editor Paul Mason, who called Johnson’s rise to power a “coup”, and warned that it’s “at times like this that your democracy can be stolen from under your nose”.
"I’m trying to get over this, and accept Brexit, and every week that I get over it, they do something even more extreme."
The Queen has approved Boris Johnson’s request to suspend parliament until October. #StopTheCoup pic.twitter.com/SdhrGwjo0N
— PoliticsJOE (@PoliticsJOE_UK) August 28, 2019
