LONDON, England (PNN) - August 28, 2019 - The British Prime Minister Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson wants to lead Britain to an exit from the European Union without a specific agreement that would regulate the various details. A majority in Parliament is against leaving the EU without a deal, even though the vote of the population was very clear: to get England out of the European Union as soon as possible.
Nevertheless, many Parliament MPs continue to disregard the will of the people.
Parliament will convene again in early September. The Brexit date is October 31. The opposition planned to seek legislation to stop Brexit and/or to hold a vote of no confidence in the Boris Johnson government. This would install a new government with the sole task of preventing Brexit without a deal.
The problem is that the process takes time and Parliament days are limited. The government has several means to prevent Parliament from having enough time to discuss the issue and to vote on it. Today it used a quite effective one.
The Johnson government, only inaugurated weeks ago, asked the Queen to announce its legislative program, a ceremonial event known as the Queen’s Speech. Custom demands that Parliament is shut down for several weeks before the Queen's Speech is held. Parliament will thus have little chance to prevent a no-deal Brexit.
The government has asked the Queen to suspend Parliament just days after MPs return to work in September, and only a few weeks before the Brexit deadline.
Boris Johnson said a Queen's Speech would take place after the suspension, on October 14, to outline his "very exciting agenda".
But it means MPs are unlikely to have time to pass laws to stop a no-deal Brexit on October 31, which actually is a good thing.
A number of high profile figures, including former Prime Minister John Major, have threatened to go to the courts to stop it, and a legal challenge led by the Scottish National Party's justice spokesman, Joanna Cherry, is already working its way through the Scottish courts.
Britain has no written constitution. The courts rule along precedence and the government would thereby likely win the case:
BBC royal correspondent Jonny Dymond said the precedent was for Parliament to be suspended before a Queen's Speech, and it would be impossible for the Queen to reject the government's request to do so now.
He said that convention lifted the pressure off the Queen and to some degree, in some people's eyes, depoliticizes it.
"The fundamental is the Queen acts on the advice of her ministers - in particular, on the advice of her prime minister," he added.
In a letter to the Members of Parliament, Johnson only allows for one day, September 9, for a Parliament sitting.
The prime minister is essentially seeing to it that the will of the British people is honored and respected.
Those who wish to obstruct the vote of the people say that closing down Parliament at the moment when the most significant decision on the future of the country is at stake is a deeply undemocratic move; even though that decision has already been made by the people.
Ed. Note: Actually, this is a very democratic move. Brexit was voted on by the people. It was not voted on with a condition that regulations and agreements with the European Union were to be enacted. It was simply a vote by the people to get out of the EU. Doing so without a deal that compromises the intent of the vote would be undemocratic. What PM Johnson is doing is following through on the will of the people. Good for you Mr. Johnson!