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Thousands Protest British PM's Move to Suspend Parliament

Reuters

   LONDON / BELFAST - Thousands of people across Britain and Northern
   Ireland protested on Saturday against Prime Minister Boris Johnson's
   decision to suspend Parliament for about a month before the deadline
   for the country to leave the European Union.
   Johnson has pledged to take Britain out of the EU on Oct. 31 with or
   without a deal on future relations with the bloc. The move to
   shutParliament for around a month in the period beforethat will hinder
   efforts by his opponents to stop him. About 2,000 people gathered
   outside his office in Downing Street, chanting: "Liar Johnson, shame on
   you!"
   A sign read: "#StopTheCoup. Defend our Democracy. Save our future."

   Nothing abnormal

   The government says it is usual forParliament to be suspended before a
   new prime minister outlines his policy program in aqueen's speech, now
   scheduled for Oct. 14. His supporters also sayParliament usually breaks
   in late September, when the main political parties hold their annual
   conferences.
   But his critics say the suspension, known as a prorogation, is
   unusually long and describe the move as a thinly veiled attempt to
   reduce the time that lawmakers will have to debatebefore Britain leaves
   the EU at the end of October.
   Opposition lawmakers want to prevent the shutdown ofParliament and pass
   legislation to avoid a no-deal Brexit when they return from summer
   recess on Tuesday.
   Protests were scheduled in other major cities in the four nations of
   the United Kingdom, comprising England, Scotland, Wales and Northern
   Ireland.

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