BoZo off today to ask Queen to suspend parliament

[longwayoff]

Do we fancy a full on civil war? Have we all gone completely mad? This is democracy? AIBU to say this is several steps too far?

It absolutely is but that does not make an unelected PM proroguing parliament purely to frustrate our elected MP's ability to act as our representatives any less of an affront

Of course it doesn't Bahlindah. I'm just getting a bit pissed off with the "undemocratic unelected PM" thing being trotted out over and over again as if it's a special thing for Boris.

I'm just getting a bit pissed off with the "undemocratic unelected PM" thing being trotted out over and over again as if it's a special thing for Boris.

What was it he said about Gordon Brown....?

I live in hope that this and the general balls up around Brexit may encourage people to question our wanky old unwritten constitution, our antiquated voting system and our televised museum of braying toffs er I mean sovereign parliament. But it probably won't because people are too busy insulting each other about how they voted in a referendum 3 years ago.

I often find the 'unelected' jibe to be hollow too, but I do feel that there is an onus on appointed PMs, even above and beyond our elected PMs, to act in accordance with basic democratic principles.

Others may disagree but I'm of the view that there's little mandate for a No Deal Brexit, based on the white paper published in accordance with the EU referendum act, which makes Boris' apparent willingness to leave without a deal problematic enough. Today goes beyond 'problematic'. It is appalling.

"I only hope that in the coming General Election the Tories are annihilated, which is what they absolutely deserve."

The one potential upside

"Where is the opposition in any of this shitty mess?" Apparently currently meeting with mps from all parties to try and deal with this!

Over 1/2mn signatures on petition now

"a democratic referendum was held , the majority voted to leave"

1 both those claims are disputed, and currently facing legal challenge

2 even IF we accept that as "fact" it was a very slim majority and by no means can ANYONE claim that all leave voters wanted a no deal brexit!

"The biggest problem about Brexit for both of them, isn't how to achieve it, its how to get away without being blamed for Brexit outcomes." Not a problem for them. They'll just bugger off to live in America and carry on with their lives. They DO NOT give a flying fuck for ordinary people.

Jessaminecolins - you SERIOUSLY think Johnson ISN'T being a fucking disaster?! Corbyn is far more even tempered and less rash, he would NEVER do something like this! Cooler heads are needed for this situation, Johnson is far too hot headed!

Family and friends in Europe now getting in touch with me. They're stunned at what's going on here. Worried for their loved ones still living here.

"And if we're willing to chuck democracy out the window like this, then that's a far bigger problem than even a no deal Brexit." Absolutely! Such a dangerous precedence to set!

"Labour will never get back in power - so don't even let that enter your head" why on earth wouldn't they? They have huge support and today's events have likely garnered them even more.

"No I am someone who used to vote Labour until Corbin took over." As if! Your comments betray your real loyalties.

"I spell Corbyn, Corbin because his ideas need to be thrown in the bin!" Oh ffs are you 8?!!

Also I swear the next time a cap doffing monarchist gives it "but they do so much good for the country" I am pointing right at this fuck up which shows how monumentally worthless they really are!

Soupdragon I would have posted the same if we were discussing Gordon Brown.

Boris was just as stupid for saying the same about GB.

The thing is, Boris Johnson has not let the Tory party to a general election win, so I can see why the “unelected” jibe is thrown about. I remember thinking the same when Gordon Brown became prime minister.

Yes I do know we vote for a local MP, not a prime minister at a general election.

BJ’s comment about Brown and how he’s got power now just illustrates his hypocrisy. At least Theresa May had the decency to have an election. Shame it didn’t work out for her though

Also I swear the next time a cap doffing monarchist gives it "but they do so much good for the country" I am pointing right at this fuck up which shows how monumentally worthless they really are

I’m not sure they are good for this country. Having a royal family which is only royal simply because they got fucking lucky centuries ago and managed to steal more land than other land thieves is just embarrassing.

I don't get why people keep banging on about how we don't elect PMs. There is no precedent in modern times for what he's doing and the fact that he's heading a government that looks nothing like the one that was elected in 2017 obviously exacerbates that. Gordon brown basically carried on with what labour had won the previous election on. That's not what's happening here.

time4chocolate Johnson was not leader of the Tory party at the last GE. May and Brown becoming PMs on the say so of MPs was equally abhorrent.

But no fucking way am I ever going to give money to the Tories so that I can vit’s for the lesser of two evils.

Labour will never get back in power - so don't even let that enter your head

What never ever ever or not in the next couple of years ? Statistically you are wrong, but we are in post referendum world now, so don't let that cloud your opinion

"I’m not sure they are good for this country. Having a royal family which is only royal simply because they got fucking lucky centuries ago and managed to steal more land than other land thieves is just embarrassing." As a Scot of Irish Catholic descent it's worse than that in my opinion! But that's a whole other series of threads!

The Queen played by the rules.

Bet she’s off her trolley on gin and dubonnet with whisky chasers tonight.

Bet she’s off her trolley on gin and dubonnet with whisky chasers tonight.

Well she is on er holidays 🤷🏻‍♀️😂

It is absolutely normal for parliament to be suspended from mid September to early October. This year's suspension will be a few days longer than in recent years, but apparently this is a "constitutional outrage". Perhaps Corbyn and Swinson should cancel their party conferences if they really want to do everything possible to avoid a no-deal Brexit.
In 2017 Parliament was suspended 14/09 - 09/10
In 2018 Parliament was suspended 13/09 - 09/10
In 2019 Parliament will be suspended 12/09 - 14/10

It is absolutely normal for parliament to be suspended from mid September to early October.

MPs get to vote on whether or not to suspend Parliament for the conference season.

And there was a good chance, given the Oct 31st deadline, that they wouldn’t have gone for a suspension.

But we’ll never know, because that decision has been removed from Parliament.

Yay, we’re taking back control

There is a difference between a recess which is voted on and proroguing at such a sensitive time politically.

So far Johnson has been PM for ONE day that parliament had sat.

Proroguing will mean that by Oct 17th the time of the final EU summit Parliament will have sat just a handful of days.

Parliament is supposed to scrutinise the actions of the executive.

Therefore to prorogue at such a time, is a political statement even if its considered 'normal' at this time of year or when a new parliamentary session is due.

The message is about the irrelevance of Parliament and how it can not be allowed to scrutinise the process of Brexit. That has democratic implications regardless of whether you lean remain or leave.

Parliamentary sovereignity was one of the things the referendum was won on. Not the sovereignity of the executive to do whatever the fuck it likes.

It's constitutionally really an assault on the institution of Parliament even if technically its 'within the rules'.

It's a fundamental undermining of the principle of parliamentary sovereignity.

of course it is - and i cant understand if people are too thick to understand that- or just so desperate for no deal brexit that they will defend anything.

I think as PP have said the issue is not whether or not he can do this. He can: it is usual to prorogue Parliament to start a new session with a Queen’s Speech. The point is why is he doing this now. What is is real intention. If it is to stifle debate on a critical topic then that i, in my view, unconstitutional.

that is

Isn’t it more a case of people not understanding normal parliamentary processs enough? If you don’t know the normal process for recess at this time of the year then you don’t know that or profiting is different. At which point it’s very much easier to miss the constitutional significance of what happened this morning.

I’d put money on Cummings banking on that.

What was said after the last extension?
Use this time wisely.

Then we had the Conservative election for Leader. Things were on hold.
The summer recess.
A few days back
Conference season

It's a fucking joke.

I’d put money on Cummings banking on that.

I’d put money on Cummings knowing that getting enough Bones, Redwoods and Duncan-Smiths onto the TV and into the tabloids normalising this will be Joe Public’s takeaway from today.

That'll be Cummings who was found to be in contempt of parliament this year. Spreading the habit.

it is usual to prorogue Parliament to start a new session with a Queen’s Speech.

Is it? I though prorogation and recess were different things? Recess is usual, prorogration is not. Happy to be educated on that, if I'm wrong.

Exactly continuity. Nothing to see here it’s all totally normal, this always happens.