Grant Shapps Tells Tom Swarbrick He Would Abide By Legislation That Extends Article 50
30 August 2019, 11:31
Grant Shapps MP told Tom Swarbrick that in a parliamentary democracy he would have to accept legislation that prevents a no-deal Brexit.
Government will have to uphold legislation that sees an extension to Article 50 if opponents to a no-deal Brexit push it through the House of Commons, according to Mr Shapps.
Tom Swarbrick asked the MP for Welwyn Hatfield three times whether Boris Johnson's government would have to give Royal Assent to a bill that prevents no-deal and keeps the UK in the EU beyond 31 October.
Grant Shapps told the LBC presenter that the mechanisms within a parliamentary democracy have to be adhered to.
He said: "Of course we are a democracy so we have to do what democracy dictates that you do."
Talking about Boris Johnson's suspension of Parliament, he added: "Which includes having new sessions of Parliament where you introduce your new priorities for domestic legislation, which is why I'm amazed to see people be so surprised and outraged."
Tom responded to the Tory MP saying that some people are "clearly outraged by the timing" of the plans for prorogation, "which is up to them."
Shapps justified the PM's plans by saying that this was the longest parliamentary session for nearly 400 years, despite Boris Johnson previously saying that he was opposed to these "archaic mechanisms".
He then went on to explain how Parliament will be sitting next week plus part of the week after, and after the party conference season and the Queen's Speech, therefore any claims that the House of Commons "is being shut up and locks are going around the doors is complete nonsense."
