Brexit protests today – LIVE: Protesters demand Boris Johnson 'stop the coup' as thousands march across UK against parliament shutdown
‘Boris Johnson shame on you,’ marchers chant outside Downing Street
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Your support makes all the difference.Thousands of protesters brought central London to a standstill on Saturday, after Boris Johnson announced he planned to suspend parliament next month.
Around 80 rallies were also held in cities and towns across the UK, organised by Another Europe Is Possible, an anti-Brexit campaign group.
Demonstrators marched down Whitehall at midday and gathered outside the gates of Downing Street chanting ”Boris Johnson shame on you”.
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The prime minister announced earlier this week that he planned to suspend parliament for almost five weeks this autumn, in an unprecedented move from Downing Street.
John McDonnell, the shadow chancellor and Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, both spoke to the Whitehall crowds from a stage erected near Number 10.
“It is a fight to protect our democracy – we know what Boris Johnson is up to, it is not very subtle is it?” Mr McDonnell said to the gathered protesters.
He added: “Boris Johnson, this is not about Parliament versus the people, this is about you versus the people.”
Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour Party leader, spoke to thousands of protesters demonstrating in Glasgow.
”I’m proud to be here with all of you supporting that, to say to Boris Johnson no way, it’s our parliament,” he said.
“No way do you take us out without a deal – we will stop you and give the people their rights and their say to determine their future.”
“Well think on Boris, it’s not on and we’re not having it.”
Protesters in London blocked traffic on Westminster Bridge as they demonstrated against the suspension.
“If you shut down our Parliament, we shut down your bridge,” they shouted.
Demonstrators also blocked traffic on Waterloo Bridge and near Trafalgar Square.
Organisers estimate that 100,000 people marched in London. At least three people were arrested in the capital, Scotland Yard confirmed.
A further 5,000 people marched in Bristol.
Another Europe is Possible is planning daily protests at 5.30pm, to be held every day for the foreseeable future.
Additional reporting by agencies
"Fresh doubts have been cast over Boris Johnson’s commitment to securing a Brexit deal after the government said it would not delay the UK’s departure from the EU even to give parliament time to approve a new agreement," report Benjamin Kentish and Jon Stone.
"Mr Johnson’s chief Brexit negotiator, David Frost, ruled out a so-called “technical extension” during talks in Brussels this week, according to a leaked diplomatic memo seen by The Independent.
"It raises the prospect that parliament could run out of time to ratify a Brexit deal even if the prime minister manages to secure a new agreement with Brussels."
Protest organisers say more than 80 rallies and marches were held today across the UK.
More than 100,000 people gathered in central London and around 5,000 gathered in Bristol, a spokesperson for Another Europe Is Possible said.
The anti-Brexit campaign group has called for daily demonstrations to take place.
"Today's protests are the beginning of something huge - they have been inspiring, full of youth and diversity and energy."
She added that the daily protests must "grow into the millions" in "the centre of every town in the country".
Here's the scene from today's protests in Exeter.
Ben Bradshaw, the Labour MP for the area, was at the rally.
"MPs must do everything we can next week to prevent Johnson crashing us out of Europe without a deal," he said.
Nicky Morgan, the culture secretary, has said the prime minister is "right" to end the current session of parliament, despite previously describing the idea of prorogation as "clearly a mad suggestion".
Ms Morgan would not disclose whether or not she had raised concerns with Boris Johnson when she was told about his controversial plan to suspend Parliament.
"Proroguing Parliament is clearly a mad suggestion," the Tory MP had previously said during an appearance on the BBC's Question Time programme.
"You cannot say you are going to take back control ... and then go: 'Oh, by the way, we are just going to shut Parliament down for a couple of months, so we are just going to drift out on a no deal'. "
But on Saturday the politician appeared to have had a change of heart.
There is an appetite to "get on and have momentum in public life and policy development", she said.
"And so the prime minister has said that we need a new Queen's Speech in order to have a new programme for government.
"And I know having taken over the department that I've got a whole tranche of bills that I want to bring forward in a second session of Parliament and the current session has gone on for too long.
"And in politics you've got to have momentum, in my case with a lower case 'm', to move forward and to be able to plan for the future."
"So I think the prime minister's right to want to bring this current session of parliament to a close, to have a new session of parliament.
"The fact that parliament will be sitting over the course of the 31st of October which is when MPs absolutely want to have their say," she added.
"And so I fully support and I'm not going to disclose conversations that I have with the prime minister or with fellow cabinet members because that's not appropriate to do within the bounds of collective responsibility."
The Tory MP was speaking during her appearance at the Big Tent Ideas Festival, held in east London.
"No one seems to believe the prime minister’s reasons for preventing parliament from sitting for five weeks. He says it is the normal procedure before a Queen’s Speech setting out a new government’s programme, which it is not," argues John Rentoul, our chief political commentator.
"But the fury over the misuse of the royal prerogative risks distracting from the important point. Boris Johnson’s resort to a cloak-and-dagger device confirms that he thinks the House of Commons is likely to block a no-deal Brexit. It is a sign of weakness rather than strength.
"And the paradox is that he may have made it more likely that his opponents will succeed."
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Protesters have left placards and stickers by the Cabinet Office door in London.
Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, has said she took part in today's protests "because we cannot allow Boris Johnson to shut down Parliament and shut down the voice of ordinary British people".
"I thank everyone who has taken to the streets here in Glasgow and across the whole country to oppose Boris Johnson's smash and grab raid on our democracy," Jeremy Corbyn said on Twitter, after speaking to protesters in the city centre.
"We'll do everything possible to stop a disastrous No Deal for which this Tory government has no mandate. #DefendOurDemocracy"
"Depending on who you listen to, Boris Johnson’s has either enacted a coup this week, or simply conducted some run-of-the-mill politics. The multi-coloured lens of Brexit has a habit of polarising the view," argues columnist Thom Brooks.
"Leavers like Johnson or his Chancellor Sajid Javid claim the prorogation of parliament is entirely normal before a new session. After an extraordinarily long two-year period, the time is ripe for a Queen’s Speech opening a new, post-Brexit parliamentary session.
"Critics, they say, are simply Remoaners looking for any excuse to talk Britain down while crunch talks are held with the EU to avoid the no-deal outcome that anti-Brexit campaigners fear most. Claims by House of Commons Speaker John Bercow that suspending Parliament as‘constitutionally outrage’ are presented as categorically untrue."
AP
Police officers move in to remove an anti-Brexit protester from a Trafalgar Square rally in this photo.
Scotland Yard confirmed that three people were arrested on Saturday in London.
One is Caroline Russell, a London Assembly member, according to protest organisers and the Green Party co-leader Sian Berry.
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