Norwich MP calls on people to 'take to the streets' over decision to suspend parliament

Norwich MP Clive Lewis says MPs will defend democracy and the police will have to remove us from the chamber. Credit: SOPA Images/SIPA USA/PA Images

The Norwich South MP Clive Lewis has attacked the government's decision to suspend parliament ahead of Brexit and is calling on people to "take to the streets."

On Twitter, the Shadow Treasury Minister said he other MP would defend democracy and "the police will have to remove us from the chamber."

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson has rejected claims his decision suspend Parliament in the second week of September to hold a Queen's Speech on 14 October is designed to block MPs from considering ways to thwart his Brexit plans.

The Prime Minister said it was "completely untrue" that Brexit was themotivation for the move, insisting it was time for a new session of Parliament to set out his "exciting agenda".

But a furious Commons Speaker and Buckingham MP John Bercow joined a chorus of outrage over the plan, saying he had not been consulted about the move, which he labelled a "constitutional outrage".

The pro-Brexit Conservative MP for Wellingborough, Peter Bone defended the decision to prorogue parliament and challenged Jeremy Corby to call a vote of no confidence in the government.

Mr Bone said: "You know why he's not doing it? He hasn't got the votes in parliament and even more he hasn't got the votes in the country."

The Labour MP for Cambridge Daniel Zeichner said it was the action of a "weak and cowardly" PM

Mr Zeichner wrote on Twitter: "A democratic outrage more akin to the politics of Charles I than the 21st century. Boris Johnson has no mandate to circumvent Parliament - this is a power grab, propelling us towards a disastrous No Deal Brexit."

A rally is being held in Cambridge, one of the most pro-remain cities in the UK, on Wednesday evening to protest against the shutdown in parliament.

Cambridge Stays is a cross-party, collaborative group campaigning forthe UK to remain a member of the European Union.

Demonstrators gathered in Cambridge to protest at the shutdown of parliament ahead of the Brexit deadline. Credit: ITV News Anglia
A person wearing a Boris Johnson 'head' digs a grave at the foot of a tombstone during a protest organised by Avaaz and Best for Britain, outside Downing Street in London. Credit: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire/PA Images