To be shocked by the response to the prorogation petition

[Littletabbyocelot]

I signed the petition against prorouging parliament primarily because I believe Parliament is an important part of our checks and balances and it shouldn't be dismissed when key decisions are being made. It sets a terrible precedent.

I received the response today. It is really long but the first 3 paragraphs are:

'Prorogation is a pregotative act of the crown exercised on the advice of ministers. We must respect the referendum result and the UK will be leaving the EU on the 31st October whatever the circumstances.

'The UK will be leaving the EU on the 31st October whatever the circumstances. We must respect the referendum result.

'Prorogation is a pregotative act of the crown exercised on the advice of ministers to bring about the end of the parliamentary session...'

It then goes on about the process, fixed term parliament and how this prorogation is to allow extra funding for the police and for schools.

AIBU to think that:

1. The government have repeatedly said prorogation wasn't about Brexit so leaving on the 31st shouldn't have been mentioned at all, never mind twice in the first two paragraphs

1. It's very badly written.

1. It should have responded to the actual concern which is that the government shouldn't use tools like this to avoid the checks and balances that parliament provides. What if next time its parliament voting to stop a war?

'

[Cheeserton]

It's poor. Very poor. I'm not surprised in the least though.

[MrsMaiselsMuff]

"We'll write some bullshit and hope the little people will go away." Standard Tory response.

[The80sweregreat]

The response was awful.

[terraform]

Not a surprise really. The government doesn't give a toss what a lot of the population thinks.

[terraform]

Actually, this government doesn't give a toss what anyone thinks unless they went to Eton and agree with Johnson.

[gruffalo28]

YANBU about all of it. Of course prorogation is about Brexit.

[MrsMaiselsMuff]

Parliament voted last night for the government to release all communications around the prorogation. It will be interesting to see what does (or doesn't) come out in the next few days.

[raskolnikova]

I read that email this morning and thought the same.

[raskolnikova]

(Actually I only read the beginning of it and it enraged me so much I stopped there.)

[Stressedout10]

I had the same email, there's a bit on the bottom of it that allows you to respond to the government. I intend to respond when I can think of something valid to say other than lieing bastards

[BonnesVacances]

I did the same as PP. I started it, got enraged that it was so badly written, so I stopped.

[Hannah021]

Well the parliament played its worst role in history disrespecting the referendum and not acting in the interest of democracy. Its all appalling and a pile of shame. Those in parliament are there to represent the will of democracy and ensure the government delivers to that, not what delivers to their best interests and the interests of their parties.
Ppl seem to be taking democracy for granted. Complete shambles.

[DorisDaysDadsDogsDead]

So which version of "leave" should they have implemented HannahBot?

[Cohle]

I was astonished by how repetitive and badly written it was.

[Iggly]

Well the parliament played its worst role in history disrespecting the referendum and not acting in the interest of democracy. Its all appalling and a pile of shame

Sorry but that’s nonsense. Article 50 was enacted which meant we are leaving.

The problem is that no plan for the manner in which we left was set up before article 5@ was triggered.

Another problem was that ignorant politicians and general public failed to understand that we have a land border with the EU. We aren’t surrounded by the sea.

There are other problems too but I can’t be arsed to run through them.

[DorisDaysDadsDogsDead]

I think apart from calling the referendum in the first place the worst thing parliament did was to vote to enact Article 50 without having so much as an iota of a plan.

They are finally behaving how they should, and putting checks and balances on the government, trying to prevent this wealthitarian coup.

I just hope it's not too little too late...

[Ireallyneedtonamechangeforthis]

I thought the same. Who on earth wrote this? I hope their Comms department are turning themselves inside out with embarrassment.

[Kazzyhoward]

"We'll write some bullshit and hope the little people will go away." Standard Tory response.

Funny that when I wrote to Labour MPs and ministers during their 13 years of mismanagement, I got the same kind of pathetically useless replies.

It's not a party issue, MPs are only in it for themselves and don't give a toss what the plebs think. It's nothing new - been the same for decades.

[Kazzyhoward]

Another problem was that ignorant politicians and general public failed to understand that we have a land border with the EU. We aren’t surrounded by the sea.

Don't you know that anything that isn't London doesn't exist and doesn't matter?

[Littletabbyocelot]

Im glad its not just me. I can't find an option to respond, only to read the response online.

Hannah The MPs aren't acting undemocratically. Most of them have voted according to the manifestos that they were democratically elected on. Democracy doesn't simply mean 'vote once on an unclear proposition and the government of the day is free to interpret it however they wish'.

This is especially true when the proposed action breaks a peace treaty within our borders. That wasn't presented as an option on the referendum.

There are plenty of democratic ways to leave. Staying in the customs union would honour the referendum (no promise was made otherwise at the time), holding a second referendum with the exact deal and making it legally binding, holding a general election where the Conservative party explicitly campaigns on no deal which could happen if they promise not to use the election period to crash out. Prorouging parliament is not democratic.

[Littletabbyocelot]

@kazzyhoward, I've seen poor responses before, often very dismissive and making you feel like the process was pointless but I've never had one so long & repetitive and so openly admitting to lying.

[NoSquirrels]

I was astonished by how repetitive and badly written it was.

I’m astonished there’s anyone left to write anything! If I were PR & Comms and half decent at my job I’d have been job-hunting a long time ago!

[Tolleshunt]

I was appalled too. It basically read as: ‘fuck you, you annoying little pleb, and fuck your parliament too. We’re the government, and if we want to ignore the people and their elected representatives then we jolly well will’.

[Stressedout10]

My mistake I misread the link

[Carthage]

I agree with you OP but I was equally fuming about the stuff about the 20,000 police officers and the NHS funding (later in the email). It's exactly the same bullshit as Johnson gave in the run up to the referendum. Promise you something so you give me what I want and don't ask too many searching questions. And if you do I'll just lie to your face and make up more bullshit about the EU and kippers. And yet I heard someone say that they liked Boris the other day because he's amusing 🤬. Oh God.

They have contempt for Parliament and the British people who are just so easily manipulated by fucking stories about bent bananas. And bureaucracy in the EU. What bureaucracy are they talking about? Do they really know, or is it just some fake news article they've read?

What about the bureaucracy we will need to have individual agreements with all these new supposed trading partners that will replace the EU trade. What about all the bureaucracy there will be moving goods to and fro with EU countries? I used to work in customs and there's an awful lot of it and a lot of hassle for business when it goes wrong.

No wonder we are such a laughing stock around the world. No wonder we have the second least trust in our politicians. Maybe going to Eton should disqualify you from politics going forward as it ends in this shit show.