It’s remarkable how much British politics has changed in the last few years. A once strong and stable country has plunged into chaos and unrest, epitomised by the election of new Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Johnson has been at the helm of the country for over a month now, and has already made some big statements of power. He first completely reshuffled the cabinet set by his predecessor Theresa May, with 13 new faces entering the cabinet in a defining move.
He also promised that there would be a significant increase in police presence nationwide, pledging to put 20,000 more police officers on the streets. However, it looks like we have just seen Johnson’s most controversial and disgraceful decision yet.
On Wednesday morning, the Prime Minister announced that he would ask the Queen to suspend parliament in early September, ahead of the Queen’s speech on 14th October. The Queen accepted, and parliament will now be shut down – formally known as prorogation – upon MPs’ return from summer recess.
It may seem to be a harmful decision made to allow preparation for the speech, but in fact it is a tactically anti-democratic move by the government. Johnson is going to suspend parliament, and in turn the core of British democracy when we need it most.
This tactical move by Johnson has been timed perfectly for him, as he cuts the time MPs have to prevent a no-deal Brexit. Johnson has infamously said he would leave the EU without a deal on 31st October, and that it is currently “touch and go” whether we’ll leave with or without a deal.
Let that settle in. Boris Johnson, whose key aim as prime minister is to deliver Brexit, is admitting that maybe we’ll leave with a deal, maybe we won’t. He is willing to leave the EU seven months overdue, without even striking a deal three years after the referendum.
He is willing to further destroy our country and our democracy, and is now using his power to take away the power of the MPs who represent the people. Is this your prime minister? Is this our prime minister?
Johnson needs to unite the country as per his claims, but how can he if he can’t even gain the support of parliament if he won’t let them serve their constituents, exercise their democratic right and vote? We cannot let a no-deal Brexit happen, but when the politicians in power are powerless themselves, it shows how far from democracy we are.
It’s incredible that the man at the head of British democracy is now using his power to prevent it from serving its purpose. The MPs who represent us won’t be able to have their say on a no-deal Brexit, and won’t be able to prevent a certain catastrophe. Boris Johnson is ruining democracy, but that’s no surprise.
“When the politicians in power are powerless themselves, it shows how far from democracy we are.”
Look back to how Johnson got elected as Prime Minister. He won the Conservative leadership contest last month with 92,000 votes, 0.0014% of the British population. 99.99% of the people didn’t even get a say, yet he is now the man to determine their lives, their future.
It’s a shame that almost every political piece I’ve written over the last year has been criticism of Brexit, our country and our politicians, but worse of all questioning our democracy. But what choice do I have? Johnson embarrasses democracy, the country and our values.
How many times must I complain about the lack of fulfillment of our democracy? How often must I point out its flaws, our struggles and our deprivation? We are stuck in an endless cycle, where we complain and protest but cannot do anything.
This chaos ensued under Theresa May, and now Boris Johnson is further sending the country into turmoil. What’s worse is that Johnson has only been in power for a matter of weeks, yet he’s due to remain at 10 Downing Street for another 3 years. This unrest cannot continue, but we may have to get used to it.
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Nischal's Blog 
Crap! Boris Johnson is protecting British democracy and legitimacy. Where is the democracy in undermining and disrespecting a majority referendum? Or in the faux outrage leading to blocked streets, roads, bridges? Where is the democracy in the people deciding they have had enough of EU laws, EU interference, the prospect of an EU army? Bloody outrageous.
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