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So! Just back from your hols? What did you miss? Yesterday we saw, in no particular order, a coup d’etat, the naked politicisation of the Queen, the determination by a UK government to force medicine shortages on its own people, and probably the break-up of the Union. Next? ~JL
Everything is bleak, but there is no reason to despair. Two-thirds of MPs, like the public they represent, do not want no-deal. Even more will be horrified by Johnson’s abuse of power. Our politicians have the means and willing to stop this coup and stop no-deal. ~JL
How do we stop it? First: the coup. On the surface, this is tough. The Queen was compelled to follow the advice of her government. That’s why we need a written constitution which specifies what the PM (and monarch) can & can’t do. The time of gentlemen’s conventions is over. ~JL
There’s a chance to overturn prorogation. MPs & @thatginamiller have launched challenges to gov’s advice to Queen. Speaker technically needs to implement Queen’s command, and he’s described it as a ‘constitutional outrage’. But let’s assume Johnson has won this first battle. ~JL
In the long-term, we need to ensure this democratic travesty can never happen again. That means a full constitutional convention and ratification. We’re not exceptional. Even constitutional monarchies can have constitutions. And my god, have we shown we need one. ~JL
But in short-term, we make the best of what we have. There is a week for the first attempt to stop no-deal. Parliament can sit during the weekend. Opposition parties must unite on strategy and figurehead, ensure watertight drafting, then mobilise and campaign as never before. ~JL
If it doesn’t work the first time, we will have 2 weeks after 14 October. Constitutional experts can determine whether it’s possible to eat into the debating time for the Queen’s speech. If the government no longer cares about convention, the opposition parties can’t either. ~JL
Really MPs will have to take plunge and no-confidence the gov. Johnson, elected by 0.14% of the population, has literally seized power from parliament and handed it to himself to stop MPs voting to save lives & livelihoods. If those aren’t grounds to remove him, what could be?~JL
