One million sign petition against Boris Johnson’s plan to prorogue parliament over Brexit

A petition calling on the government not to prorogue parliament has smashed its target to be considered for a debate. Picture: HM Government - Credit: HM Government

A petition demanding that moves to suspend parliament are halted has already reached more than one million signatures.

The petition on parliament’s website amassed the number in just twelve hours of Boris Johnson announcing he planned to prorogue parliament in order to push through his new domestic agenda.

Any petition that secures 100,000 names sees the petitions committee consider it for debate by MPs.

The petition, which was created by Mark Johnston on parliament’s website, states that parliament should not be prorogued unless there is another extension of the Brexit deadline or the idea of leaving the European Union is scrapped altogether.

It says: “Parliament must not be prorogued or dissolved unless and until the Article 50 period has been sufficiently extended or the UK’s intention to withdraw from the EU has been cancelled.”

Seven hours after Johnson’s announcement, the petition hit 550,000 signatures, and it reached one million shortly after 11pm.

The biggest ever petition presented to parliament came earlier this year when anti-Brexit campaigners called for Article 50 be revoked. It received more than 6 million signatures.

– The petition can be signed here.