Decision to suspend Parliament 'fundamentally anti-democratic' says Plaid Cymru

Credit: PA

Plaid Cymru has described Prime Minister Boris Johnson's decision to suspend Parliament weeks before the Brexit deadline on October 31 as a "fundamentally anti-democratic move".

The extended suspension comes just a week after MPs return from their summer recess and is intended for the Government to hold a Queen's Speech - laying out their plans - on October 14.

This means Parliament will not sit for the majority of September and the first two weeks of October, returning after the Queen's Speech.

Former First Minister Carwyn Jones AM said it was "the first nail in the coffin of the Uk as we've known it'.

Liz Saville-Roberts MP, the Westminster Leader of Plaid Cymru, said it was a decision to be expected only from an "autocratic ruler".

Liz Saville-Roberts MP and Adam Price AM outside Number 10 in 2018. Credit: PA Images

Boris Johnson confirmed his plans on Wednesday morning, saying: “We need new legislation, we’ve got to be bringing forward new and important bills and that’s why we are going to have a Queen’s Speech and we are going to do it on October 14 and we have got to move ahead now with a new legislative programme.”

The First Minister Mark Drakeford AM responded on social media, calling the move an attempt to get "the Queen to close the doors on our democracy".

Owing to the prime minister's plan, MPs are unlikely to have time to pass any laws that could stop the Prime Minister taking the UK out of the EU without a deal on October 31.

The announcement has angered MPs, including House of Commons Speaker John Bercow, who described it as a "constitutional outrage".

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said the plan is a "threat to our democracy".

Protestors gathered again outside the Houses of Parliament in London. Credit: PA Images

Welsh Labour MP Stephen Doughty criticised the decision to suspend Parliament, branding Boris Johnson "a coward."

The Welsh Government Brexit Minister Jeremy Miles AM told ITV Wales Mr Johnson had "no mandate" for a no-deal Brexit outcome.

Labour MP for Ogmore, Chris Elmore, told ITV Wales it was "anti-democratic".

Credit: PA Images

Neil Hamilton, AM for Mid & West Wales and Leader of UKIP in Wales said he welcomed the decision.

The Presiding Officer of the National Assembly, Elin Jones, confirmed the Senedd will be recalled next week following a request from the First Minister.