Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner brands government’s decision to prorogue Parliament a 'democratic outrage'
Cambridge MP Daniel Zeichner has said the government’s decision to prorogue Parliament just days after MPs return to work in September a “democratic outrage”.
The government asked the Queen to end the parliamentary session, which she consented to today (Wednesday, August 28).
Parliament will now not sit for five weeks, ahead of October 31, when the UK is due to leave the EU.
Boris Johnson wants to start a new parliamentary session, with a fresh programme, from October 14. Instead of a normal three-week autumn recess, parliament will now likely wrap up on September 10.
Many MPs say this will make it find it difficult to stop the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says he is “appalled at the recklessness of Johnson’s government”.
Labour MP Mr Zeichner said: “This is a democratic outrage more akin to the politics of Charles I than the 21st century. Boris Johnson has no mandate to disregard the country’s elected MPs and circumvent Parliament - this is a power grab
“This is the action of a weak and cowardly PM. It plunges the country into further turmoil and further propels us towards disastrous no-deal Brexit. Boris Johnson must be stopped.”
South Cambridgeshire's independent MP Heidi Allen was also left outraged, saying Boris Johnson has “no right to prorogue Parliament to push through a ‘no deal’ Brexit and we won’t let him”.
Catherine Rowett, a Green Party Euro MP for the East of England, said: “Boris Johnson’s Brexit scheme would spell death for democracy in this country. By suspending Parliament, Johnson would essentially be shutting the door to elected representatives of the people so he can push through his version of Brexit without accountability.
“Indeed we would cease to have a government even in name, as Johnson and his cabal would be ruling without commanding a majority in a free Parliament.”
“If Johnson goes ahead with this move, he should expect serious resistance. This country will not tolerate being ridden over roughshod by his so-called Government and we will continue to fight for the value of democracy, whatever it takes.”
Pro-EU group Cambridge Stays is holding a rally in Market Square, Cambridge, tonight (Wednesday, August 28) at 6pm, to “condemn the undemocratic plan of Prime Minister Boris Johnson”.
“There is no democratic mandate for a no-deal Brexit, and Boris Johnson knows that there is no majority for it in parliament either. His action in seeking to close down parliament is a threat to our parliamentary democracy, and we believe that MPs and the people must unite to reject it and the dangerous no-deal Brexit he is taking the UK towards,” said a statement from the group.
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