MPs slapped down over Commons recall plea

MINISTERS last night rejected a plea from more than 100 MPs for Parliament to be recalled to deal with Brexit. In a letter to Boris Johnson, the backbenches demanded the summer recess be cancelled.

The Commons is in the middle of a five-week break and not due back until September 3. The MPs also called for a planned three-week recess next month in party conference season to be axed.

They wrote: ‘Parliament must be recalled now and sit 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 and to hold ministers to account.’ The letter was 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 Tories Dominic Grieve and Guto Bebb.

But energy minister Kwasi Kwarteng rejected their demand. He told Sky News’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme that the recess dates had been agreed by the Commons and there would be plenty of time to discuss Brexit next month.