Prorogued Parliament: Opposition parties vow to go ahead with attempts to block no-deal despite Parliament suspension

Labour and opposition parties have confirmed they will go ahead with attempts to block a no-deal Brexit
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Katy Clifton29 August 2019
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Labour and opposition parties have confirmed they will go ahead with attempts to block a no-deal Brexit despite Boris Johnson suspending Parliament for more than a month before the Brexit deadline.

Barry Gardiner, Labour's shadow international trade secretary, said it would be "extremely difficult" but that MPs would make moves on Parliament's return next week to start the lawmaking process.

He also accused Number 10 of "lying" over its reasons for calling for a long period of prorogation.

Mr Gardiner told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It is going to be extremely difficult. That's why the government is disingenuous to say this is not about trying to stop us doing that."

Barry Gardiner, Shadow Secretary of State for International Trade
PA Archive/PA Images

He added: "We will be seeking measures on Monday to try and have what is known as a Standing Order section 24 debate.

“We will seek to try and put through the appropriate legislation in this constrained timetable that the Government has now put before us. Downing Street is lying when it claims this is about the conference recess.

"If he wanted to get on with his domestic agenda, he would in fact be having a shorter period of prorogation."

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrat’s Brexit spokesman Tom Brake MP told Sky News that the party would be working actively cross-party to stop a no-deal Brexit and the proroguing of Parliament.

Speaking to the broadcaster on Thursday, he called Mr Johnson’s plans “undemocratic and dictatorial”.

Backlash: Boris Johnson's move to suspend Parliament has been described as a "constitutional outrage"
AFP/Getty Images

Yesterday, senior Opposition MPs backed using legislation as a “priority” to stop the Government crashing the UK out of the European Union with no deal, saying they would use the next 48 hours to “war game” how best to pass a new bill or other legislative measure to avert a potentially catastrophic departure from the EU.

Ahead of a meeting with Opposition leaders, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had pushed as his preferred option a move to oust Mr Johnson in a vote of no confidence and for him to take over as Prime Minister in a temporary administration to stop an EU crash-out.

However, Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson and senior Tories said the Labour leader would not be able to muster the support of enough MPs to gain a Commons majority if the Prime Minister is forced out under the 2011 Fixed-term Parliaments Act.

Shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer warned against “fantasy politics” as he pushed plans to use legislation to block a no-deal.

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