MPs would thus become the elected equivalents of the welfare scroungers of tabloid legend – dragging the reputation of Parliament even deeper into the mud.
There is a sense with all Johnson speeches that he is somehow parodying a politician making one – that the whole thing is done tongue-in-cheek.
The key test seems to be whether or not an MP is prepared to pledge their full support to the Conservative manifesto at the next election.
Steve Brine and Greg Clark, who have also been deprived of the whip, voted with the Government – which lost by 289 votes to 306.
Would we deploy the phrase in a similar way to the Prime Minister yesterday? The answer is that we wouldn’t. Here’s why.
Its verdict fundamentally misunderstands Parliamentary Sovereignty – thus raising big questions about the future of the judiciary and the stability of our constitution.
Despite the Supreme Court ruling, he still has a fighting chance of gaining an election – and then winning it.
Plus: We Conservatives have a chance to unite, but don’t take an election win for granted. And: the radicalism of Gavin Williamson.
“The Inner House went further and declared that any prorogation resulting from it was null and of no effect.”
The Government’s policy of reminding the electorate that it is keeping faith with the largest democratic exercise in our country’s political history is correct.
“Dignity, kindness, authority rather than bossiness, and I do believe that those things could be brought to the Chair by a woman.”
Courts should not interefere in Parliamentary processes, it is not their role, and the Supreme Court has no power to quash the prorogation.
Brexit has changed much for them, but less than one might think – at least when it comes to their strategic position at Westminster.
I still want to avoid a second referendum. But unless we can make progress towards Parliament supporting a deal, those calls are going to grow.
The Speaker has manipulated of the rules for a political objective, but the Government has been denied the opportunity to respond proportionately in kind.