Arch-Remainer SNP leader Ms Sturgeon broke into a furious tirade as she responded to reports Prime Minister Boris Johnson intends to shut down Parliament to prevent rebel Remainers interfering with his ‘do-or-die’ pledge to take the nation out of the bloc ‘come what may’ on October 31. Reports emerged on Wednesday Mr Johnson is weighing up the option of closing down Parliament – a process known as prorogation – to restrict MPs from blocking a no deal Brexit outcome. Opposition parties have made it clear they are willing to do “whatever it takes” to stop the UK leaving the EU with no deal this autumn, fuelling speculation they plan to halt Brexit altogether.

Ms Sturgeon has made no secret of her opposition to Brexit, often using it as an excuse to justify her incessant calls for independence from the UK, despite her nation voting to remain in the Union. 

The Scottish nationalist described Mr Johnson’s potential move to suspend Parliament as a “dark day for democracy” in a furious tweet, only to reinforce her hardline view by later claiming “today will go down in history as the day UK democracy died”.

Speaking to the BBC shortly after news of the Prime Minister’s plan to shut down Parliament surfaced, the SNP chief was grilled on her choice of words.

She said: “It is absolutely outrageous. Shutting down Parliament to force through a no deal Brexit, which will do untold and lasting damage to the United Kingdom against the wishes of MPs is not democracy, it is dictatorship.

“And if MPs do not come together next week to stop Boris Johnson in his tracks, then I think today will go down in history as the day UK democracy died. This simply cannot be allowed to happen.”

The Scottish politician said in an earlier tweet: “So it seems that Boris Johnson may actually be about to shut down Parliament to force through a no deal Brexit. Unless MPs come together to stop him next week, today will go down in history as a dark one indeed for UK democracy.”

When quizzed by BBC news on the fact Mr Johnson has insisted the move has “absolutely nothing to do” with stopping MPs from debating Brexit, as there will be “ample time to discuss the issue”, Ms Sturgeon said: “Everybody knows that is typically Boris Johnson nonsense. I listened to him this morning and I have rarely heard a flimsier or more transparent cover story.

“Even the Speaker of the House of Commons is calling this an outrageous attack on democracy. Everybody knows what this is about: it is about restricting any ability Parliament has to stop a no deal Brexit in its tracks.

“Brexit – let’s not forget – was all supposedly about returning control to the House of Commons. And now we have a Prime Minister who himself, of course, hasn’t been elected by anyone other than a tiny number of Tory Party members, is trying to shut down Parliament to do something to the UK that everybody who is prepared to be honest about this, is going to do real damage to our economy, living standards and livelihoods to come.

Brexit LIVE: Bercow takes centre stage as Remainer alliance make shock SO24 request

“It is beyond outrageous and MPs have to come together and do something about this.”

Speaker John Bercow, known for his anti-Brexit interventions, issued a furious response to Wednesday’s Brexit news. Mr Bercow said in an angry statement: “I have had no contact from the Government, but if the reports that it is seeking to prorogue Parliament are confirmed, this move represents a constitutional outrage.

“However it is dressed up, it is blindingly obvious that the purpose of prorogation now would be to stop Parliament debating Brexit and performing its duty in shaping a course for the country. At this time, one of the most challenging periods in our nation’s history, it is vital that our elected Parliament has its say.

“After all, we live in a parliamentary democracy. Shutting down Parliament would be an offence against the democratic process and the rights of Parliamentarians as the people’s elected representatives.

“Surely at this early stage in his premiership, the Prime Minister should be seeking to establish rather than undermine his democratic credentials and indeed his commitment to Parliamentary democracy. My family and I are away on holiday and I will make no further comment at this stage.”

DON’T MISS

What did MPs expect when they tried to dishonour the people’s will? [COMMENT]
Boris is right! DUP gives backing to Johnson’s proroguing Parliament [REACTION]
MPs launch legal challenge against Johnson’s Parliament suspension [DEVELOPING]

Meanwhile Ms Sturgeon’s Remainer allies in the Commons have also vented their fury.

Leader of Change UK – The Independent Group and former Conservative MP Anna Soubry called on her former colleagues to act fast against Boris Johnson’s attempts to force a no deal Brexit scenario upon the UK. 

Speaking to BBC News, Ms Soubry claimed it was now time “to stop this nonsense” as she branded the Prime Minister and his team “ruthless”. She said: “Time now is critical and what I would say to my former Conservative colleagues who have often argued that ‘now it’s not the time, let’s wait, it’ll all be fine and get sorted out’, I think that they now see how ruthless Boris Johnson and his advisers are.

“And the clock is certainly ticking. And now is the time for us to stop this nonsense.”

Echoing Ms Soubry’s concerns, Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesman Tom Brake took to Twitter to express his fury. 

He wrote: “If BBC News are correct, Boris Johnson’s just thrown down the gauntlet to Parliamentary democracy. The mother of all Parliaments will not allow him to shut the #PeoplesParliament out of the biggest decision facing our country. His declaration of war will be met with an iron fist.”

Source: Read Full Article