Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #prorogation
Most recents (24)
Some follow up thoughts on a great piece by Andrew Tickell: How Scots have learned to love independence in 2020 thenational.scot/news/18970919.…
Andrew says; “Now, the idea of independence in the lead and the Union in retreat is a banal fact of Scottish life.” As others have pointed out this has parallels with where we were with #devolution post the 1992 General election.
But then, Scotland had to wait for Westminster to catch up with us before we got devolution. 5 years passed before a party that supported devolution came to power at Westminster and held a referendum
Many people are asking me about the legal options if @BorisJohnson continues to frustrate #indyref2. @NicolaSturgeon will announce her plans later this week & for obvious reasons I’m not going to speculate. However #bbcgms just had a very good discussion
From 2 legal academics @AileenMcHarg & @PeatWorrier. It was a fair summary & less downbeat than some commentators. I won’t be saying anything for now except we must always remember in this situation litigation can only ever be a route to restoring democracy
Which is what I & my colleagues did with the #prorogation case. We restored democracy so parliament could perform its proper function. Independence is a political decision for the people of Scotland not for a court
With the news of #JuliaHartleyBrewer appearing on @bbcquestiontime tonight, I’ve sent in my first-ever letter of complaint to the BBC. It’s brutal: (THREAD) #BoycottBBCQT
Dear BBC
I am disgusted that #JuliaHartleyBrewer is on @bbcquestiontime. I tune in to watch most weeks or catch up online, but I cannot watch tonight, out of principle.
I am disgusted that #JuliaHartleyBrewer is on @bbcquestiontime. I tune in to watch most weeks or catch up online, but I cannot watch tonight, out of principle.
My objection to Ms Hartley-Brewer isn’t for political reasons. She has a right to her opinion, and I respect that, even if I don’t agree with it. It’s not about Brexit either. #BoycottBBCQT
ICYMI: Meg Russell giving evidence to @CommonsPACAC on Tuesday on the Supreme Court judgment
Read a summary of Meg's evidence here: ucl.ac.uk/constitution-u…
#SupremeCourtjudgement #Prorogation
@UKandEU
Read a summary of Meg's evidence here: ucl.ac.uk/constitution-u…
#SupremeCourtjudgement #Prorogation
@UKandEU
Quoting the words of the inestimable @ProfMarkElliott and @mjg_constitlaw - and raising an appreciative laugh!
@ProfMarkElliott @mjg_constitlaw The commentaries that Meg referred to ⬇️⬇️:
@sionaidh's article: prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/an-ex…
@sionaidh's article: prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/an-ex…
A couple of days have past since the #Miller2 #Cherry #prorogation was handed down by the @UKSupremeCourt, and we are starting to see a range of commentary emerge.
This thread is an attempt to collate that material in one spot. I will try to maintain it as things appear
This thread is an attempt to collate that material in one spot. I will try to maintain it as things appear
Firstly, the decision itself - as well as links to the hearing and delivery of judgment, is available here:
supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-201…
supremecourt.uk/cases/uksc-201…
Here are some useful 'Explainers' and 'Summaries'
@ProfMarkElliott (short explainer): publiclawforeveryone.com/2019/09/25/100…
@Fergal_Davis: commonslibrary.parliament.uk/parliament-and…
@JonathanMetzer: ukhumanrightsblog.com/2019/09/24/sup…
@ProfMarkElliott (short explainer): publiclawforeveryone.com/2019/09/25/100…
@Fergal_Davis: commonslibrary.parliament.uk/parliament-and…
@JonathanMetzer: ukhumanrightsblog.com/2019/09/24/sup…
Ok sound back on. Lady Hale now setting out the facts relating to the prorogation itself
Unanimous judgment of all 11 justices.
Court holds this IS Justiciable.
Repeat. It IS justiciable. Unanimously.
Court holds this IS Justiciable.
Repeat. It IS justiciable. Unanimously.
Let us look at the scenarios.
I have no insights what is more likely, as seems to be the case for UK legal twitter.
Outcome could vary between #prorogation not being justiciable all the way to the current prorogation being unlawful plus obligations on the gov. /2
I have no insights what is more likely, as seems to be the case for UK legal twitter.
Outcome could vary between #prorogation not being justiciable all the way to the current prorogation being unlawful plus obligations on the gov. /2
If gov prevails and #prorogation is not justiciable:
- Negotiations continue as they are
- Gov gains the option to prorogue again in October in an attempt to circumvent Benn Act
- Raises probability of no deal, but no effect on EU negotiation strategy
/3
- Negotiations continue as they are
- Gov gains the option to prorogue again in October in an attempt to circumvent Benn Act
- Raises probability of no deal, but no effect on EU negotiation strategy
/3
If #prorogation is justiciable, but the current one lawful:
- Parliaments returns as planned on Oct14
- Negotiations continue as planned, with small window betw Oct2 (Tory Conf) and Oct14 to fully concentrate on UK-EU talks rather than UK internal political turmoil
/4
- Parliaments returns as planned on Oct14
- Negotiations continue as planned, with small window betw Oct2 (Tory Conf) and Oct14 to fully concentrate on UK-EU talks rather than UK internal political turmoil
/4
On the eve of Supreme Ct #prorogation judgment, PM Johnson simply refuses to answer @GaryGibbonBlog @Channel4News q as to whether he will prorogue Plmnt again.
His whole interview technique is a sort of filibustering. Refusing to answer direct qs on workers’ rights, or Benn Act.
His whole interview technique is a sort of filibustering. Refusing to answer direct qs on workers’ rights, or Benn Act.
Q: Will you prorogue Plmnt again? Will you rule out proroguing Plmnt again?
A: let’s be clear what happened. I think it’s slightly misconstrued....
(Says the man who refused to provide a witness statement about what did happen to construe it clearly for the deciding Court).
A: let’s be clear what happened. I think it’s slightly misconstrued....
(Says the man who refused to provide a witness statement about what did happen to construe it clearly for the deciding Court).
A: they say we were trying to stop Plmnt from discussing Brexit..
Q: Yr answer to my q might help me know whether you were or not.. are you going to do it again?
A: I think it was a good idea to have...I will see what the justices say..
Q: Ah, so you might do it again?..
Q: Yr answer to my q might help me know whether you were or not.. are you going to do it again?
A: I think it was a good idea to have...I will see what the justices say..
Q: Ah, so you might do it again?..
As Day 3 of the #SupremeCourt #prorogation appeal gets under way, this is former PM Major’s written case before the Court. His barrister is timetabled to speak at 1210 today. supremecourt.uk/docs/written-c…
Two points of note:
1) The practical reality of what a non-justiciability ruling means (see below), ie that the hypothetical extremes disavowed by the Div Ct are of material & remarkable significance here; &
2) Johnson inexplicably still hasn’t produced a witness stt...
1) The practical reality of what a non-justiciability ruling means (see below), ie that the hypothetical extremes disavowed by the Div Ct are of material & remarkable significance here; &
2) Johnson inexplicably still hasn’t produced a witness stt...
Pretty extraordinary stuff, this, to have a former Prime Minister intervene in an action against a current Prime Minister. It speaks to the road we are travelling.
I can’t follow much today. Do follow @BBCDomC @mattholehouse @JoshuaRozenberg @jamesdoleman @Greg_Callus
I can’t follow much today. Do follow @BBCDomC @mattholehouse @JoshuaRozenberg @jamesdoleman @Greg_Callus
As the Supreme Court considers vital questions to protect our parliamentary democracy, I found a tearful woman at the feet of Sir Winston Churchill...
#Prorogation #ProrogationCase
#Prorogation #ProrogationCase
This statue of one of Britain’s most famous parliamentarians and Prime Ministers stands in his old constituency, Woodford, on the edge of the green. It’s still well-respected by local people
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodford_…
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodford_…
As I drove past saw the flicker of a flame in the evening light. I pulled over and walked across the green.
A woman stood by candles she had lit at Churchill’s feet, paying her respects, and she was a little tearful. She introduced herself as Isis...
A woman stood by candles she had lit at Churchill’s feet, paying her respects, and she was a little tearful. She introduced herself as Isis...
THREAD I have been wading through the full judgment from Scotland's highest civil court, the Court of Session, on the prorogation of parliament this evening (with assistance, as you can see). Here are some points I think are interesting. #Prorogation #TheNine
First, what is this all about? A group of parliamentarians led by @joannaccherry of the SNP wanted to stop the prorogation (suspension) of parliament, which has now taken effect, arguing that it was unlawfully designed to stymie parliamentary debate on Brexit.
As it happened the High Court in London has rejected a similar case but one argument made by the petitioners in Edinburgh (that is, Ms Cherry and co) was that Scotland (which has its own legal system pre-dating the 1707 union with England) had different law in this matter.
Here’s the full jmnt in #Cherry.
From a skim, it’s a damning assessment of the PM. No matter what the findings on justiciability next week, surely he must resign.
Court finds prorogation was mooted specifically as a means to stymie any further legislation regulating Brexit.
From a skim, it’s a damning assessment of the PM. No matter what the findings on justiciability next week, surely he must resign.
Court finds prorogation was mooted specifically as a means to stymie any further legislation regulating Brexit.
Lord Brodie: Procedural manoeuvres are the stuff of politics, whether conducted in plmnt or lesser bodies. However, when the manoeuvre is quite so blatantly designed ‘to frustrate plmnt’ at such a critical juncture in UK history, the court may legitimately find it to be unlawful.
If you want to skip straight to some key paragraphs, go to [53]-[60], [91], [123]-[124].
More once I’ve read it properly.
#Cherry #prorogation
More once I’ve read it properly.
#Cherry #prorogation
John Bercow gets a standing ovation on returning to the HOC #Prorogation
Reads the official stuff in the most miserable voice possible.
Opposition lines up to shake the Speaker's hand on the way out...
A lot of people are talking about #Parliament, #prorogation and #petitions today. Confused about why or what they mean? Let us help with this thread ⬇️
Why are people talking about prorogation?
It is expected that Parliament will be prorogued when business ends in the @HouseofCommons this evening. Prorogation happens at the end of each Parliamentary session. This is what the ceremony looks like
It is expected that Parliament will be prorogued when business ends in the @HouseofCommons this evening. Prorogation happens at the end of each Parliamentary session. This is what the ceremony looks like
What does prorogation mean for Parliament?
In August, the Queen approved the Prime Minister’s request to suspend Parliament. The @commonslibrary briefing explains what you need to know about #prorogation including more about how it ties in with Brexit bit.ly/2MGiRlq
In August, the Queen approved the Prime Minister’s request to suspend Parliament. The @commonslibrary briefing explains what you need to know about #prorogation including more about how it ties in with Brexit bit.ly/2MGiRlq
Official statement on #prorogation:
Volt UK resolutely condemns the decision of the unelected British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to prorogue Parliament, denying the elected representatives of the British people the time to debate viable options to solve the crisis. (1/5)
Volt UK resolutely condemns the decision of the unelected British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to prorogue Parliament, denying the elected representatives of the British people the time to debate viable options to solve the crisis. (1/5)
Johnson’s attempt to silence Parliament goes against the spirit of our democracy. It comes at a time when it is more important than ever that our elected representatives have the opportunity to hold the Government to account and make sure our voices are heard. (2/5)
Volt UK is part of a pan-European movement. We believe that democracy is strengthened when its citizens are empowered. (3/5)
Ahead of a crucial #Brexit week, a fascinating set of poll results by @YouGov:
- 72 to 21% say UK gov is handling Brexit badly
- 50 to 40% say it was wrong to leave
- 53 to 31% say #Prorogation is not acceptable, incl majority of Tory voters find it acceptable
- 72 to 21% say UK gov is handling Brexit badly
- 50 to 40% say it was wrong to leave
- 53 to 31% say #Prorogation is not acceptable, incl majority of Tory voters find it acceptable
@YouGov More crucially, by 41 to 43% there is more agreement to a caretaker government plus fresh elections than I thought.
Huge support for this (81%) amongst LibDem voters.
There is also no difference in support for caretaker gov (41vs43) vs. anti no-deal legislation (41vs42).
Huge support for this (81%) amongst LibDem voters.
There is also no difference in support for caretaker gov (41vs43) vs. anti no-deal legislation (41vs42).
#FridayFeeling #FridayThoughts #FridayMotivation
It's Friday. Let's have some fun and get to know our foes in this Rogue Government's Cabinet a little better.
#StopTheCoup
It's Friday. Let's have some fun and get to know our foes in this Rogue Government's Cabinet a little better.
#StopTheCoup
First up, the PM & aspiring dictator, selected by 0.13% of the population, but who hasn't yet faced a GE as PM - something he considered an #AffrontToDemocracy when Gordon Brown took over from Tony Blair.
Johnson: the poster-boy of the #BrexitCoup.
#StopTheCoup #BrexitIsNoJoke
Johnson: the poster-boy of the #BrexitCoup.
#StopTheCoup #BrexitIsNoJoke
Not officially in Cabinet, unelected bureaucrat & grand vizier Dominic Cummings nevertheless sets the agenda, calls the shots & yanks BJ's strings.
Cameron once called him a 'career psychopath'. He is in contempt of parliament & appears to be amoral. #StopTheCoup #BrexitIsNoJoke
Cameron once called him a 'career psychopath'. He is in contempt of parliament & appears to be amoral. #StopTheCoup #BrexitIsNoJoke
So, we’ve just agreed we’ll be demonstrating against #prorogation on Saturday. It's years since H & I have been on a demonstration; our kids have never chosen to do it themselves (they were with us at Make Poverty History and others, but too young to be there by choice.) 1/10
We live in a parliamentary democracy; sovereignty in our system resides in the Queen in parliament. #proroguing parliament for a lengthy season at a critical juncture is an attempt to undermine the basis of our system of government. 2/10
This seems clear to me, but I have been very struck by the serious commentators sounding klaxons of alarm yesterday and today. Not those who are professionally outraged, left or right, but when those who are professionally cautious express outrage, sensible people listen. 3/10
If there is to be a way to stop No Deal Brexit by legislative means next week, it is Conservative MPs putting the future of the UK (and its representative democracy) above their own futures that are going to have to do it
Here follows a thread of Tories saying the right things!
Here follows a thread of Tories saying the right things!
Dr Phillip Lee
@DrPhillipLeeMP
"Conservative MPs need to stand up and be counted next week [..] it put up or shut up time"
@DrPhillipLeeMP
"Conservative MPs need to stand up and be counted next week [..] it put up or shut up time"
Not a #RemainerNow but a quick thread on Government ministers calling #Proroguing Parliament an outrage just a few weeks ago.
Will they now do the honourable thing and resign?
Do feel free to send any we miss.
1/?
Will they now do the honourable thing and resign?
Do feel free to send any we miss.
1/?
First it's Chancellor @sajidjavid, so how about it do you have any principles at all? #timetoresign
#StopTheCoup
2/?
#StopTheCoup
2/?
Second, how about Health Secretary @MattHancock, do you have any principles or is your job more important than credibility and your country?
3/?
3/?
Lots of discussion today about whether the length of #prorogation really matters given the upcoming party conference season. But conference recess hasn't been agreed. So we’ve crunched the numbers and yes, the length matters! (thread – 1/17!)
The government’s desire to bring this long session to an end and outline a new legislative programme in a Queen’s Speech could be met with a prorogation of one to two weeks. Anything longer than this is both unnecessary and beyond the norm. (2/17)
We do not yet know on which day between 9 and 12 September Parliament will be prorogued. The Order in Council states that it will be no earlier than Monday 9th September and no later than Thursday 12 September. (3/17)
Today's turning out to be an interesting day in British politics. What is #Prorogation and what does it mean for the weeks ahead? A thread of some info from around the web:
This morning, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a Queen's speech on 14 October in a letter to MPs, which you can read here:
scribd.com/document/42350…
scribd.com/document/42350…
Confused about all this talk of #Proroguing? @commonslibrary has you covered: researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefi…
Michael Keating of @CCC_Research @UKandEU responds to news that @BorisJohnson will move to prorogue parliament #Prorogation
Thread
Thread
1/ Prorogation of Parliament suggests that the Prime Minister anticipates a no-deal Brexit.
2/ If a new deal with the EU were to be achieved, prorogation means there is hardly time to get it through Parliament, let alone the necessary legislation, between Parliament coming back and the 31 October deadline for withdrawal.
There it is, confirmation Johnson wants to shut down Parliament. What will those Tory ministers who said they would never stand for that, like Hancock, do now that they are in Johnson’s Cabinet?
Exhibit 1- Matt Hancock, currently Sec of State for the NHS.
Here's what he said about proroguing when he was in the Tory leadership campaign. Lying then or now?
#Prorogation
Here's what he said about proroguing when he was in the Tory leadership campaign. Lying then or now?
#Prorogation
Exhibit 2 - Nicky Morgan, currently Sec of State for Media and Culture
Here she says she would support legal action against the prorogation of Parliament. Lying then or now?
#Prorogation
Here she says she would support legal action against the prorogation of Parliament. Lying then or now?
#Prorogation
