More than 100 MPs urge Boris Johnson to recall Parliament over ‘national emergency’ of Brexit
More than 100 MPs have written to Boris Johnson urging him to recall Parliament because the country is facing “a national emergency” over Brexit.
The MPs are urging Boris Johnson to recall Parliament from its summer recess – Credit: PA Images
The group has thrown down the gauntlet to the Prime Minister by saying a “true democrat should not fear such scrutiny”, adding: “The question is whether you are one.”
Signed by members of every political party in the House of Commons excluding the DUP, the letter criticizes Mr. Johnson for spending billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money “to back up your reckless no-deal plans”.
The MPs said: “You claim to speak for the people, and yet the people’s parliament is in recess at this most crucial of times.”
The Commons is not due to return from summer recess until 3 September, and can only be recalled at the behest of the Government.
But it has been brought back on a number of occasions in the past, including the Suez crisis in 1956, the invasion of the Falkland Islands in 1982 and the 2011 UK-wide riots.
The MPs write: “Parliament must be recalled now in August and sit permanently until October 31, so that the voices of the people can be heard and there is proper scrutiny of your government.
“At times of grave economic emergency and threats to our national security, parliament has been recalled to allow MPs to make representations on behalf of their constituents and to hold ministers to account.
“Our country is on the brink of an economic crisis, as we career towards a ‘no-deal Brexit’, which will have an immediate effect on food and medical supplies, damage our economy, jobs, the public finances, public services, universities, and long-term economic security.”
The letter is signed by several Labour MPs, the Westminster leaders of the SNP, the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru, and Change UK, the Green Party’s Caroline Lucas and senior Tories Dominic Grieve and Guto Bebb.
It criticized Mr. Johnson’s behaviour since taking office, saying: “You have failed to conduct any substantive negotiations with EU partners. And you have shown utter disregard for the crucial relationship between the UK and the Republic of Ireland.
“These are grounds in themselves for a recall of parliament.
“But in addition there is a creeping and disturbing populism taking over your discourse on the EU, bringing the discredited rhetoric of the ‘leave’ campaign into the heart of the UK government.
“You have used the language of fascism and authoritarianism in terms such as ‘collaboration’ to describe parliamentary colleagues who have the temerity to disagree with you.”
But a Downing Street source hit back: “The people were heard in the 2016 referendum, yet the promise to deliver on that result is yet to be fulfilled.
“The prime minister has made clear we will leave on October 31.”