Remainer MPS are in no position to accuse the Government of undermining democracy
sir – Rather than condemn the Government for seeking to deliver what MPS themselves voted for when they approved Article 50, wouldn’t Nicola Sturgeon, Jo Swinson and Dominic Grieve be better to train their fire on the European Union, which has so far refused steadfastly to negotiate?
Their accusation that, in proroguing Parliament, the Government is undermining democracy is laughable when one considers that they wish to break the laws that they themselves set, in order to overturn the 17,410,742 votes cast by the majority.
They clearly believe in democracy only when it suits them. Alastair Muir
Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire
sir – John Bercow has denounced the suspension of Parliament as a “constitutional outrage”.
This comes from the man who dramatically broke precedent with Dominic Grieve’s amendment in January; then, in March, he invoked an archaic parliamentary convention that pre-dates the Gunpowder Plot and had not been used by a speaker of the House of Commons since 1920. All of this he did, it seems, with the partisan objective of interrupting the Brexit process.
Mr Bercow has no authority on which to judge “constitutional outrage”, except in as much as he has plenty of experience of provoking it himself. It was members of the Remain establishment that weaponised parliamentary procedure to defeat Brexit, so we should not be moved by their crocodile tears when they can no longer exploit that procedure. Robert Frazer
Salford, Lancashire
sir – I served as the Conservative Member of Parliament for Gravesham until 1997. It was quite normal that MPS went away for the summer, then returned for a short period to finalise the previous parliamentary year’s business, before Parliament was prorogued pending the start of the new parliamentary year, with a Queen’s Speech in October.
This parliamentary session has been going on since July 2017, the longest period ever – yet another legacy of the indecisive Theresa May.
We now have a Prime Minister who proposes to put his Government’s programme in a Queen’s Speech, quite properly delivered at a State Opening of Parliament, then debated and voted upon. In the meantime, existing enacted legislation carries us over.
This is a return to parliamentary normality. The current fuss is being manufactured for partisan purposes. Jacques Arnold
West Malling, Kent sir – Boris Johnson is fully justified in bringing the current moribund session of Parliament to a close and setting out legislative proposals for a new session in a Queen’s Speech on October 14.
The additional very worthwhile benefit is that it hijacks Remainers’ plans to outlaw leaving the EU without a deal. If these Remainers wish to change policy then let them bring forward a no-confidence motion now or vote against the Queen’s Speech and precipitate a general election. John Sharp
Great Glen, Leicestershire
sir – Amid the cacophony of selfrighteous indignation expressed by Remainer MPS over the suspension of Parliament, we repeatedly hear phrases such as “parliamentary sovereignty” and that suspending Parliament is an “affront to democracy”.
How is seeking to deliver a wish voted for by the people of this country to leave the European Union (this was the question – there was no reference to a deal or no deal) an affront to democracy? Fraser Pithie
Kenilworth, Warwickshire
sir – John Major prorogued Parliament in 1997. His hypocrisy apparently has no bounds. Graham W Swift
Newcastle-under-lyme, Staffordshire
sir – What choice does Boris Johnson have but to prorogue Parliament after Tuesday’s treacherous attempt to seize parliamentary power by undemocratic MPS who cannot accept the will of the British people? It’s not so long since Anna Soubry accused John Mcdonnell of being a very dangerous man; now she poses for photos with him.
Mr Johnson had to act swiftly to prevent these rebel MPS from delaying the Brexit process yet again and throwing British businesses into yet more confusion. Peter J Grasby
Tadcaster, North Yorkshire
sir – Parliament has been debating Brexit for the past three years and achieved absolutely nothing. The country voted to leave the EU and it is now time to implement that vote, with or without a deal.
Letting these MPS continue debating is just a waste of time and I hope they pay the price for their dithering at the next general election. A J C Gorman
Ickenham, Middlesex
sir – Will MPS’ salaries also be suspended? Geraldine Higson
Constantine Bay, Cornwall