Labour MPs issue threat to occupy the Commons

Labour MPs reacted to Boris Johnson’s prorogation manoeuvre by calling for parliament to be occupied.

Jeremy Corbyn flanked by Brexit spokesman Keir Starmer, left, oppostion House of Commons leader Valerie Vaz and Treasury spokesman John McDonnell. Picture: AFP

Labour MPs reacted to Boris Johnson’s prorogation manoeuvre by calling for parliament to be occupied, a general strike and the abolition of the monarchy.

Within minutes of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s first response, condemning the move as “an outrage and a threat to our democracy”, a member of his top team went further. Opposition spokeswoman for women and equalities Dawn Butler wrote on Twitter: “No matter how you voted, Boris cannot be allowed to close parliament. I along with my colleagues will occupy parliament.”

The call from Ms Butler, who sits next to Mr Corbyn at prime minister’s questions, to “resist the parliament shutdown” was echoed by Clive Lewis, a Treasury spokesman. “If Boris shuts down parliament to carry out his no-deal Brexit, I and other MPs will defend democracy,” he said.

“The police will have to remove us from the chamber. We will call on people to take to the streets. We will call an extraordinary session of parliament.”

They were both outflanke by backbench Labour MP Lloyd Russell-Moyle, who called for a general strike. “It looks more and more like the only way forward to stop our country falling into the hands of the undemocratic right,” he told the Daily Mirror. Mr Russell-Moyle seized the Commons mace in December in protest against the postponement of the first vote on Theresa May’s Brexit deal.

Former shadow international development secretary Kate Osamor attacked the Queen, writing on Twitter: “The. Queen. Did. Not. Save. Us”. She later added: “The Queen should look at what happened to her cousin Tino ex King of Greece when you enable a right-wing coup! Monarchy abolished!”

Mr Johnson’s move prompted protests on Wednesday night in London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Cardiff. Thousands of demonstrators descended on Parliament Square and brought traffic to a standstill as they marched to Downing Street chanting “Stop the coup”, “Save our democracy” and “General election now”. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell and shadow home secretary and Diane Abbott, Mr Corbyn’s two closest allies, attended the protest, as did shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer.

A petition on the parliamentary website calling for Mr Johnson’s decision to be reversed amassed a million signatures, well above the 100,000 required for it to be considered for a debate by MPs. The petition called for parliament not to be prorogued or dissolved “unless and until” Brexit had been delayed or cancelled.

The Times