in just one month Boris Johnson has made history and accomplished what his predecessors as Prime Minister of the UK did not, even Neville Chamberlainfamous for achieving deal with hitler: he has risked the glorious old-fashioned British democracy, has suspended Parliament for party political reasons, and has been denounced by the opposition as a dictator. Not Great dictator Chaplin, but nevertheless a blonde opportunist without too many objections.

In London, Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Milton Keynes, Chester, Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Brighton and Cardiff, in front of a train station or town hall, in front of a statue of a local hero or in a shopping centre, they improvised yesterday afternoon demonstration against suspension House of Representatives holding umbrellas in solidarity with Hong Kong students and banners reading “hands off” and “stand up for our democracy,” just hours after Johnson sparked the protests. earthquake political nine points on the Richter scale, in one of the most dramatic days ever experienced in Westminster in a few moments.

Target

Prime minister prefers motion of condemnation over legislation delaying Brexit again

The goals of Johnson’s unprecedented action, though he denies it, are clear: to reduce the remaining parliamentary session to October 31, and to make it harder for the Commons to prevent leaving the European Union by that date, forcing it to ask for a new extension from Brussels or rule out a no-deal Brexit. . The prime minister took action a day after the opposition agreed to challenge him through legislation. The response from the Europhile bloc, apart from denouncing the “constitutional insult” and “attack on democracy”, consisted of speeding up legal procedures to bring matters to court (the case is already open in Scotland), and extreme coordination to take advantage of some of the parliamentary debates that will take place.

The pretext Johnson used was the launch of a new legislature on October 14, which normally would not have taken office in previous days. But while his behavior may be technically impeccable, this is far more debatable in the historical context of Brexit, when half the country wants to end four long decades of EU membership, and the other half refuse. Former Economy Secretary Philip Hammond and speaker John Bercow raised their hands above their heads. First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon likened Johnson’s behavior to that of a dictator. The conservative leader in the same country, Ruth Davidson, will step down last night.

Response

The court will decide whether the president has acted according to law and tradition

With all of this, European leaders remain silent as death, partly for not interfering in the political affairs of the remaining member states, and partly for not reinforcing the idea – pushed by Johnson – that the British Government could initiate better treatment. Brussels by silencing its own Parliament. What the EU wants is for there to be a majority in Westminster to implement a version of the Withdrawal agreement similar to the one received by Theresa May or for a new extension.

Queen Elizabeth constitutionally has no choice but to accept Parliament’s suspension, as it is a recommendation from her prime minister, but both Labor leader Jeremy Corbyn and Liberal Jo Swinson have requested an audience with the king. Given the circumstances, the condemnation motion option, which had been postponed twenty-four hours earlier, was once again gaining weight as perhaps the only way to stop Boris. A leader who doesn’t drop out of an election, without an electoral mandate, is elected by conservative militants who make up just 0.1% of the electorate, and the very first thing he does is suspend Parliament. Big as Chaplin or small, some call him a dictator.