European Parliament Brexit chief slams 'sinister' move to suspend Commons and extends solidarity to British MPs

Guy Verhofstadt says accuses goverment of 'suppressing debate' on choices ahead for the UK

The European Parliament’s Brexit chief has branded Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend parliament “sinister” and accused the UK government of trying to suppress debate about the country’s future.

Guy Verhofstadt offered his solidarity to British MPs, who under the Government’s plan will be temporarily locked out of parliament at a crucial juncture in the Brexit debate.

“'Taking back control' has never looked so sinister. As a fellow parliamentarian, my solidarity with those fighting for their voices to be heard,” Mr Verhofstadt said on Wednesday afternoon following the government’s announcement.

“Suppressing debate on profound choices is unlikely to help deliver a stable future EU-UK relationship.”

Commons speaker John Bercow has described the Government’s move, which would make it harder for MPs to stop a no-deal Brexit, as “an offence against the democratic process” and a “constitutional outrage”.

The European Commission took a diplomatic line on the unusual move by the government, which Downing Street says is merely standard practice. A spokesperson for the EU’s executive said questions about the decision were for the UK authorities to address.

“With regards to the UK government decision to suspend the parliament sittings until 14 October, we’re not commenting on internal political procedures of our member states, and we’re also not going to speculate on what this means in terms of next steps in the UK’s parliamentary procedures. I think this is for the UK to answer,” the spokesperson told reporters in Brussels.

Under the government’s plan parliament would be prorogued for 23 days until 14 October, just days before the UK is due to crash out without a deal. MPs cannot block prorogation.

The drama in Westminster is the backdrop to a day of meetings between the UK’s chief negotiator David Frost and EU officials in Brussels. Little is expected to come from the technical discussions, which are related to the UK’s demand that the Irish backstop policy in the withdrawal agreement be scrapped.

A Commission spokesperson said the EU officials would “listen to what the UK has to say and we will engage accordingly and constructively with the UK on any concrete proposals that they might have that are of course compatible with the withdrawal agreement”.

The spokesperson downplayed a supposed 30-day deadline set by Mr Johnson during a visit to Berlin, adding: “I’m not aware of any 30-day deadline. I also think leaders to whom you might be referring clarified what they have said in that regard. For us, of course, the earlier the better – because our working assumption is that Brexit should occur on 31 October and that should happen with a deal.

“That’s our preferred scenario and the scenario we’re working to. For that to happen, the earlier we see workable proposals the better.”