The The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland leader Colum Eastwood, has accused Boris Johnson of behaving like a “tin pot dictator” over plans to suspend parliament.
Eastwood said, “Proroguing your parliament to enforce the will of a government that has no democratic legitimacy for an act that has no majority support is the behaviour of a tin-pot dictator.
“Boris Johnson has stepped far outside the acceptable norms for a functioning democracy and he must be reined in.”
Opponents to Brexit said democracy is being eroded, and Northern Ireland voted to stay in the EU.
Alliance Party leader Naomi Long said, “This is the desperate act of a man who knows parliament opposes no-deal Brexit but will push it through regardless of parliamentary sovereignty.
“He has no mandate for this. None. Far from taking back control, democracy is being eroded.”
Ulster Unionist leader Robin Swann said proroguing parliament risks undermining public confidence in Westminster.
He said, “We need to see an end to the plotting from both sides in Westminster and that replaced by politicians focused on getting a deal so that the United Kingdom leaves the EU in an orderly fashion.
“Otherwise the people of Northern Ireland will be caught in the middle.
“The incendiary language being used by some politicians across these islands needs to cease.”
However, Arlene Foster of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) welcomed Johnson’s move.
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