Over the weekend former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the possibility of sidelining parliament to force through Brexit should not be ruled out. In doing so he joined Ester McVey in backing the idea of ‘proroguing’ Parliament – shutting down the parliamentary session – and forcing through a disastrous no deal outcome in order to ‘deliver the will of the people’.
The irony of shutting down our elected Commons in the name of democracy is one not lost on many – and the idea was rejected by John Bercow and MPs from across Parliament but worryingly continues to maintain support amongst the small group of politicians who could be our next Prime Minister.
It’s the kind of populist rhetoric you’d perhaps expect more from an outsider party. When Nigel Farage launched the Brexit Party just four months ago, he declared they were ready to “defend democracy” from the political establishment and do everything they could to deliver Brexit. He has previous said he’d “don khaki, pick up a rifle and head for the front line” to do so.
