Protest in Lerwick over planned suspension of UK parliament
Jim Tait
A number of people took the streets of Lerwick on Saturday to protest against Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s planned “prorogation” of the UK parliament.
Around two dozen gathered at the Market Cross in the afternoon before heading along Commerial Street and up to Lerwick Town Hall.
They were joined at one stage by radio and television presenter Mark Kermode, in Shetland for his role as joint curator of the Screenplay film festival along with his wife Linda Ruth Williams.
The Shetland protest was one of a number around the country who were going under the banner of “Defend our Democracy – Stop the Coup”.
The UK parliament is expected to be suspended a few weeks before the Brexit deadline of 31st October.
Although suspension is not uncommon those in opposition this time round are angry over the timescale, claiming it will stop democracy and increase the chances of a “no-deal” exit.
Brian Smith
Well done. As R.H. Tawney said, ‘Happy the nation whose people has not forgotten how to rebel’.
Robert Wishart
Right on Brian. Congratulations to the Leave rebels and their leaders.
Ian Tinkler
All 20 of them! O dear me.
John M Scott
The coup that we have to stop is by the so called servants of the people ( Members of Parliament) blocking the will of the majority who voted for Brexit. How appropriate that one of the protesters was called Kermode; think about it.
By the way, thanks to the “Boris Bounce” , the Conservative and Unionists are currently as high as 14% ahead of Labour in the latest opinion polls.
Boris has already won the next General Election, because the “People” will vote him back in, and they are fed up with the disgraceful behaviour of Corbyn, Sturgeon and their cronies.
Brian Smith
There’s a distinction to be made between ‘rebels’ and ‘sheep’, Robert old bean! …
Peter Hamilton
… and with turkeys voting for Xmas Brian. Some hard-core Brexiteers are revolutionaries though, with little regard for the niceties of parliamentary sovereignty. Dangerous days.
Michael Garriock
When parliament disrespects and disregards the democratic will of the people, as they have tried their hardest to do for over three years. Damn right its time to be revolutionary.
If parliament has so little regard for what empowers them, they have no grounds to complain when those empowering them have a similar lack for regard for it as well.
Peter Hamilton
Is Michael a Leninist. All power to the consensus he recognises.
He forgets the referendum was advisory.
Our parliamentarians cannot be obliged to do us harm just because slightly more than half of us once fell for a pack of lies sold by a handful of self-interested extremists who have turned the Conservative and Unionist Party into ones narrow faction “infected by the twin diseases of populism and English nationalism”. So said Phillip Lee, former Conservative and Unionist Party MP who has just deserted that malignly transformed rump.
Michael Garriock
On the contrary, I’m fully aware the referendum was advisory. However, the one person in a position to explain its purpose, Cameron, the then PM, stated its outcome would be adhered to. That has not happened. ‘They didn’t come to us for an opinion, they came to us for instruction’.
His successor never tried to honour that commitment, and her successor has so far been blocked from doing so.
You cannot possibly know the reasons why 17.4 Million people voted to leave, and to attempt to insinuate you do is insulting, patronising and condescending to everyone. I won’t pretend to speak for other people, so will only confirm that I personally did not vote leave as a result of any of what you choose to call ‘lies’, as I never listen to any of their babble and propaganda, my vote was based on the EEC/EU’s abysmal track record to date. No more, and no less.
As for the ‘harm’ you speak of, our politicians did us that harm on 1st Jan 1973 when they took us in to this godless union which has worn the country down, brexit is the first act of self-healing and rebuilding.
John Inkster
They appear to be the same marching against Trump group.