Amber Rudd: Stop trying to pit Parliament against the people

Conservative Prime Minister Boris Johnson prorogued Parliament earlier this month, but the Supreme Court ruled this was ‘unlawful’ on Tuesday and MPs have returned to the Commons this morning (Wednesday September 25).

Attorney General Geoffrey Cox appeared to suggest most MPs were set against leaving the EU at all and called Parliament a ‘disgrace’ and ‘too cowardly’ to face a general election.

Hastings and Rye MP Amber Rudd, who resigned from the Cabinet and surrendered the Tory whip earlier this month, said: “I must raise my concerns about the Attorney General constantly saying that this Parliament is dead.

“This Parliament was elected in 2017, it reflects the divisions in this country, the divisions in our communities and the divisions in our families.

“The failure is that we have not yet reached a compromise. Many of us long to leave the European Union as we set out in the referendum, but are frustrated by the fact that we have not been able to find a consensus amongst the different factions.

“Can I urge the Attorney General to work with colleagues to try and find that compromise and to cease this language of pitting Parliament against the people.”

On Tuesday reacting to the Supreme Court’s decision, Ms Rudd tweeted: “Despite personal assurances from the PM, the Cabinet was not shown the legal advice around this prorogation.

“This is an astonishing moment and I regret that the PM, who entered office with such goodwill, went down this route. I urge him to work with Parliament to pass a deal.”

Then speaking to Sky News, she pointed out how the Government’s original defence of prorogation was it was nothing to do with Brexit. She thought it was ‘not responsible’ of the Government to now claim this was all about people looking to frustrate Brexit.