Jeremy Corbyn urges MPs to join protesters threatening to ‘shut down’ streets over Parliament suspension
2 min read
Jeremy Corbyn has urged his MPs to join demonstrators threatening to "shut down" streets in protest against Boris Johnson's planned suspension of Parliament.
The Labour leader urged his party colleagues to attend the #StopTheCoup protests set to take place on Saturday across the country.
Momentum, the pro-Corbyn group, is co-organising the “radical action” along with trade unions and other campaigners after Boris Johnson announced a five-week prorogation of Parliament until 14 October.
The PM insisted that the move was to allow the Government to introduce a fresh legislative agenda through a Queen's Speech.
But his opponents say the move is actually intended to prevent MPs from introducing legislation to prevent the UK leaving the EU without a deal two weeks later.
On Thursday, Momentum called on its supporters to “occupy bridges and blockade roads” in protest at the shutdown.
Its national coordinator Laura Parker said she would take part in an “occupation of Parliament”.
In an email to MPs, Mr Corbyn said: “Whichever way people voted, to Leave or Remain, no one voted for Boris Johnson’s shutdown of democracy.
“That is why the public outrage at his actions has been so deafening, and why I am encouraging MPs to join public protests opposing this shutdown and the Prime Minister’s threat of a No Deal Brexit.
“The longest parliamentary shutdown in recent history comes at a critical moment and shows that we not only have a Prime Minister without a mandate from the public, but one who is now running scared of scrutiny.
He added: “I am addressing a major rally in Salford on Monday.
"But there are also public protests across the country this Saturday and there will be a rally in Parliament Square on Tuesday evening, and I encourage Labour MPs to be present and to share our message.”
But the Conservatives hit out at the rallying call as an attempt to undermine the EU referendum result.
Deputy Chairman Paul Scully said: “Labour’s repeated promises to respect the result of the referendum have been exposed as a sham, it’s clear they’re only interested in cancelling the referendum result.”
The action comes as a legal attempt to block Mr Johnson's suspension was quashed in the Court of Session in Edinburgh on Friday.
Elsewhere, Conservative former Prime Minister John Major has announced that he plans to join pro-EU campaigner Gina Miller in a separate court bid to stop Mr Johnson's Westminster shutdown.
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