Prorogation of Parliament
An interesting response from Sir Mike Penning to his constituents on the Prime Minister’s decision to suspend Parliament…
Thank you for contacting me about the Prime Minister’s decision to prorogue Parliament on 9 September ahead of a new Parliamentary session to begin with the Queen’s speech on 14 October. In fact, Parliament would be in recess for three weeks of this period as it always closes to allow MPs to attend the Party Conferences, so it is only an extra four days of recess.
I am not immune to the suggestion that this is designed to prevent MPs debating Brexit, but the only thing that completely undermines our democracy is Parliament’s continuing failure to honour the referendum result and for the UK to leave the EU.
I know from my constituency postbag people are increasingly angry that, after having been given a say on our future in the EU, MPs who have been elected on a manifesto pledge to honour the result are repeatedly using Parliamentary process to attempt to overrule the result. It cannot continue indefinitely, and I therefore support the Prime Minister’s decision.
The Queen’s Speech is an opportunity for the new Prime Minister to outline his agenda for the coming Parliament and, in any case, is long overdue. This has been the longest-sitting Parliament since the English Civil War and the Government has the constitutional right to suspend Parliament before a Queen’s Speech. In fact, this is the usual practice for any new administration. Proroguing Parliament before a Queen’s Speech therefore is not a constitutional outrage, as many are claiming, but a normal process following an excessively long Parliamentary session.
Like the Prime Minister, I am still optimistic that we can leave the EU with a deal. The Government is continuing to negotiate and the only way we are going to get a deal is if we make it clear to the EU that we are prepared to leave without one. If and when the Government does secure a deal, there will still be enough time for debate and for MPs to either support it or vote for a no-deal Brexit.
To people who are claiming that four extra days of prorogation is the end of our democracy, I completely disagree. What is undemocratic is to ignore the will of the people who voted in the 2016 referendum and to continue to extend the deadline for leaving.
I look forward to the Queen’s Speech and a new legislative agenda to tackle crime, improve funding for our schools and invest more in the NHS.
Yours sincerely
Mike Penning