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Barking and Dagenham MPs call for Johnson’s resignation after Supreme Court ruling
Barking MP Dame Margaret Hodge. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Images - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
Both the borough’s MPs have called on Boris Johnson to resign after the Supreme Court ruled this morning (Tuesday, September 24) that Johnson’s decision to prorogue parliament was unlawful.
Barking's MP Dame Margaret Hodge has called on Boris Johnson to resign, saying: "He must consider his position."
She said: "Today's Supreme Court ruling tells us what we knew all along, that shutting down parliament for five weeks was unlawful and undemocratic.
"Parliament needs to sit again as soon as possible, only then can we hold this reckless Tory government to account and resolve the Brexit stalemate.
"The prime minister has acted appallingly and unlawfully, he must consider his position."
MP for Dagenham and Rainham Jon Cruddas said: "This is an utter humiliation for Boris Johnson. He should immediately resign as he has acted unlawfully.
"This is a vindication of what we opposition MPs have been saying - we should be in parliament sorting out this Brexit crisis, not playing political games and hiding from parliament."
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When the prime minister was elected Conservative leader by party members, Dame Margaret condemned his record as London's mayor, adding he was "completely unfit to be the prime minister."
While Mr Cruddas wished the then-new prime minister well, he denounced the system that saw him elected.
"The new PM has been elected by a few thousand Conservative Party members," Mr Cruddas said. "He has no mandate. For the sake of democratic legitimacy he should call a general election."
The decision to prorogue parliament would have suspended the House of Commons for five weeks before the looming Brexit deadline on October 31. But several politicians, including speaker John Bercow, have said parliament should now be reconvened immediately.
And the borough's MPs aren't alone in calling for Johnson's resignation. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also told him to "consider his position" and politicians from the SNP and Plaid Cymru have told him to resign outright.
The House of Commons said in a statement: "We are considering the implications of the Supreme Court's judgment for parliament and will provide further information as soon as we can."
Mr Johnson said: "Obviously this is a verdict that we will respect and we respect the judicial process.
"I have to say that I strongly disagree with what the justices have found. I don't think that it's right but we will go ahead and of course parliament will come back."
