REDDITCH MP Rachel Maclean has backed the Prime Minister’s decision to ask Her Majesty the Queen to suspend Parliament for five weeks in early September.
However the PM’s move brought a sharp response from West Midlands Green Party MEP Ellie Chowns who described it as an ‘anti-democratic outrage’.
Mr Johnson’s action effectively cuts the time MPs have to introduce legislation or take other steps to block a no-deal Brexit with members not returning to Westminster until October 14, just two weeks before the leave date of October 31.
The PM said he was making the move not to derail any attempts to block Brexit but to introduce a new programme of legislation and added that there would be enough time to debate Brexit.
Mrs Maclean said: “The public expect us to deal with new challenges of government and so a new session is needed for the government to introduce key legislation on the NHS, to fight violent crime, invest in infrastructure and science and cut the cost of living.
“Clearly we need to address the question of leaving the European Union on October 31, and much progress has been made in the negotiations already.
“There will be ample time to debate and vote on the outcome of these negotiations in Parliament following the meeting of the EU Council on October 17-18.
“I continue to believe that a deal, which is after all hugely in the interest of the other EU member states, will be negotiated and the Prime Minister has my full support for this task. However, if a deal can’t be agreed then we must leave on October 31 without a deal.”
Mr Johnson’s decision however has been widely condemned with Ellie Chowns, Green Party MEP for the West Midlands saying: “This is an anti-democratic outrage.
“Closing down Parliament at a time of national crisis is completely unconstitutional.
“However this might be dressed up by Boris Johnson, the truth is clear: it’s a cynical attempt to close down debate and evade accountability on the biggest political issue of our times.”
