PROTESTERS gathered in Tavistock last Friday (August 30) to make their feelings known about Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend Parliament in the run up to the Brexit deadline.

Members of campaign group Devon for Europe and others met outside MP Geoffrey Cox’s constituency office in Paddons Row then finding the MP and attorney general not in residence, they headed off down Duke Street to Bedford Square.

Here they chanted ‘Stop the Coup’, attracting both bleeps of approval from passing cars and cries of ‘traitors’ from nearby.

Meanwhile clipboards were doing the rounds as those present put their signatures to a letter to be sent to Mr Cox. They also urged passersby in Bedford Square to join them. Some did, several others angrily refused.

The protesters — who included Labour, Lib-Dems and Greens but apparently no Conservatives — gathered a total of 200 signatures to the letter to Mr Cox.

It protests at his support for the PM’s controversial move which will leave just two weeks to debate any Brexit deal before the UK is due to leave the EU.

Remainers fear this will lead to a no-deal Brexit on October 31 and reduce the chance for MPs to hold a vote of ‘no confidence’ in Mr Johnson.

Joanna Wallwork, Devon for Europe coordinator for West Devon and constituent of Mr Cox, said: ‘We have to make the point that proroguing Parliament in the way they have done is a deliberate attempt to stop MPs from holding the executive to account over what they want to do with Brexit. Johnson knows he hasn’t got the confidence of the House [of Commons] and if he does too much talking they might not agree with him.’

David Chalmers, who stood as Lib-Dem parliamentary candidate against Mr Cox in the Torridge and West Devon constituency in the last general election, said: ‘We’re here to express our outrage at what is happening to our parliamentary democracy, so we have a letter here we are going to deliver to Geoffrey Cox. We demand our parliamentarians are allowed to debate whether Brexit is going to be right for our country.

‘This isn’t just about the EU anymore, this is about our parliamentary democracy and about how far they are prepared to go to leave the EU. We need to say no, we are not putting up with it.’

There were further protests in cities across the country, including Exeter on Saturday (August 31) and a deputation from West Devon were among those joining others in London yesterday (September 3) for a protest outside Parliament, the day MPs return from their summer recess.

More than 1.7-million people across the UK have signed a petition which called on the Prime Minister not to prorogue parliament.

A YouGov poll last week revealed that 47% of the UK population think Boris Johnson’s request to prorogue (suspend) parliament for a month was unacceptable. Just 27% said the move was acceptable.

Parliament was due to be suspended in any case between September 12 and October 9 to allow for party conferences.

However, the move by the Prime Minister extends this to a total of 23 working days, in a move which his opponents point out will limit political manoeuvres on the Remain side to stop Boris Johnson’s plans.

As the Times went to print this morning (Wednesday, September 4), Mr Johnson was still reeling from losing his first vote as Prime Minister in the House of Commons, as rebel Tories and opposition MPs voted to take control of the agenda, allowing them to bring a bill requesting a Brexit delay.

MPs were to vote on the Brexit delay bill this evening (Wednesday). Ahead of the vote, the Prime Minister said he would call a general election if he is forced to request an extension to the October 31 deadline.

However, with Mr Johnson needing two thirds of MPs to back the move, a general election looked unlikely ahead of the delay bill vote.