Protesting against prorogation plans
A Chichester city centre protest against Government plans to prorogue Parliament was attended by an estimated 400 people at the weekend.
The UK is currently set to leave the EU on October 31 and fears about a no-deal Brexit have increasingly been raised from across the political spectrum.
Last week Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced plans to suspend Parliament, known as a prorogation, between early September and mid-october, with a Queen’s Speech taking place on October 14.
In response protests were held across the country on Saturday with hundreds gathering at Chichester’s market cross to make their feelings known.
Labour’s Phil Wilson, who organised the Chichester demonstration, thanked everyone for attending. He said: “For over 400 people to demonstrate in Chichester, with only three days’ notice, shows the real strength of feeling over this issue.
“Individuals, organisations and political parties have put their differences aside and come together to unite in the face of a thoroughly undemocratic manoeuvre which excludes the voice of the people’s representatives at this crucial time in our country‘s history.”
Adrian Moss, the Lib Dem’s group leader at Chichester District Council, was one of the speakers on Saturday.
Speaking to the Observer before the weekend, he said: “Let’s make this clear, we are supporters of staying in Europe but proroguing Parliament is about more than that, it is about democracy and people being listened to. This is profoundly undemocratic.”
The Chichester Lib Dems acknowledged that Parliament would have been suspended for the conference season but with a Queen’s Speech now being put before Parliament it meant ‘time to debate Brexit and other legislation will be lost’. Green Party member Michael Neville argued that proroguing Parliament ‘is more about what this statement says about how we are being led’.
He felt that the Brexit ‘shambles’ had already stifled three years of action needed on climate change, with Westminster not spending ‘anywhere near enough time or resources on changing how we live to bring about a more sustainable society’.
He added: “A no deal means exposing ourselves to relaxing environmental law which will threaten locally our harbour and South Downs, and nationally our air quality, biodiversity and green belt protection.”
Protester Jane Venn said: “For the first time in my 52 years I feel threatened by a loss of democracy and frightened for the future. Protests like the one in Chichester today seem to be the only way that we, the people, can get our voices across.“
Gabrielle Kim added: “I’ve lived through prime ministers I disliked and mistrusted but this is the first time in 58 years I have felt that the fundamental integrity of our country is at stake.”
Chichester MP Gillian Keegan explains why she believes the new PM deserves time to find a Brexit deal in her column on page 29.
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