Welsh MPs sing ‘Calon Lân’ as Westminster Parliament is shut down
Welsh MPs sang ‘Calon Lân’ as Prime Minister Boris Johnson shut down parliament for five weeks last night.
Opposition MPs believe the prorogation is an attempt by the government to avoid scrutiny during a crucial period in Brexit negotiations.
MPs will not now sit until October 14 after the Queen prorogued parliament on the PM’s instructions.
Footage shot inside the House of Commons by SNP MP Hannag Bardell showed MPs including Plaid Cymru’s Jonathan Edwards and Ben Lake, and Labour’s Albert Owen, Tonia Antioniazzi, and Stephen Doughty leading the singing.
The Welsh members also gave us a beautiful song. With harmony! ??????? pic.twitter.com/iXV8xeuDoX
— Hannah Bardell ????????️? (@HannahB4LiviMP) September 10, 2019
A group of MPs also staged a protest in the House of Commons as the official ceremony to suspend Parliament took place.
Signs with “silenced” written on them were held by some Labour MPs. Lloyd Russell-Moyle, Brighton Kemptown MP appeared to try to hold on to Speaker John Bercow at the point he was requested to lead MPs to the Lords, with doorkeepers intervening.
Ahead of the formal process Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “This Government is only interested in shutting down Parliament to avoid any scrutiny.
“His obfuscations and evasions are being rumbled – both at home and abroad – and that is why he doesn’t answer questions and he is so keen to avoid scrutiny.
“Tonight he will attempt to prorogue Parliament for one of the longest prorogations there has ever been – shutting down Parliament, shutting down democracy, avoiding questions, taking this country over a cliff of a no-deal exit with all the damage that will do to many of the poorest and most vulnerable communities in our society.”
‘Productive’
The prorogation followed a cross-party meeting between opposition Westminster leaders to find a way forward to stop the UK Government allowing the state to crash out of the EU on October 31st.
Following a meeting between the parliamentary leaders of Plaid Cymru, the SNP, the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and the Independent Group for Change, Plaid Cymru’s Westminster leader Liz Saville Roberts MP said:
“We had a productive meeting this morning where I made absolutely clear that Plaid Cymru will leave no stone unturned in our attempts to stop Boris Johnson from inflicting the calamity of a crash out Brexit upon the people of Wales.
“I am glad that as opposition parties, we are united in our belief that Boris Johnson’s attempt to undermine the rule of law must be stopped. If the Prime Minister refuses to seek an extension to the period under Article 50, he will have broken the law – plain and simple – and he must be subject to legal repercussions.
“I told other opposition parties this morning that if he does break the law, we should be ready to impeach Boris Johnson – a procedure that he himself supported in 2004 when current Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price sought to impeach Tony Blair for lying.
“I was also clear in the meeting that Plaid Cymru believes that now, all opposition parties should be united not only in opposition to no-deal, but also in favour of a positive alternative. The best way of dealing with this deepening crisis is to take this question back to the people and let them reclaim control over this mess – through stopping Brexit.”
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Idiots, whats to sing about? Their part in killing democracy in this country, shame on them!
I really don’t get this. Parliament *is* our democracy. The executive only govern because parliament gives them authority…
You assume the UK to be a democracy ?
Well, you get the answer loud and clear.
That is why independence is the only solution – The UK is unreformable and should be abolished.
For those who must have a formal union with England then a federal republic where parliament is sovereign is the answer with all states having equal rights.
Independence is the only real way forward.
We’re singing because it’s our Heritage. It’s in our blood. It’s something that the English do not understand. The dreaded C word. Culture. ANNIBYNIAETH!
Spot on, Ernie! Lets call a Wales Convention to organise this.
And we are the ones who give parliament the authority!
It’s called protest Ann. Nobody has ‘killed’ democracy other than the government who have clearly stated that they aim to ignore democracy and law. I find it quite chilling that people are so complacent in what is actually happening at the moment especially when the parallels between this government and the Nazi Party are so similar. Think that’s ridiculous? Have a look at the first episode of Rise of the Nazis on the BBC and tell me that you don’t see similarities. As an aside Ann, are you Norm in disguise? He usually exhibits bad grammar and similar ineptitude for… Read more »
Surely it’s not possible to make a bigger mess than is being made in Westminster
With Brexit things are coming to a climax at a time where our MP’s have been sidelined. When the elected officials of any organisation I have been a member of, were asked to negotiate a deal, it was essential that this be put back to the membership or their representatives, to accept or reject. It is quite possible that Boris will return with “No Deal”, and that can be put to the electorate in a referendum, after the documents about the likely consequences have been published. If he returns with a “Boris Deal”, this can be clarified with a referendum… Read more »
The only way to come out of this mess without harming the country is to REVOKE article 50
And ignore 17.2 million people, and for people who say untangling from the EU is to complicated, what would it be like untangling from the UK then!
People took that vote in complete ignorance of what it meant. No one could have known what the results of leaving the EU really meant. Now we have the facts, now its realistic so now we can realistically take a proper
vote.
I don’t believe people did vote in complete ignorance, that is a lie bandied around by those who wish to remain. Anyone who has seen, witnessed or experienced divorce knows them to be painful, messy, difficult and usually really unpleasant. It has been the non acceptance of a democratic choice which has made this Brexit process so painful and slow
Singing at the prorogation should become a tradition and perhaps at the opening as well. There are loads of fantastic songs from across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern ireland that are part of our shared heritage and singing them all whether in harmony or unison would help bring people together and provide an opportunity for mutual understanding. It is rather sad that the Conservatives didn’t join in – it is not as if there aren’t some obvious choices that naturally appeal to those on the traditional right-wing of politics! Having spent my childhood attending singing competitions in Herefordshire, Worcestershire and… Read more »