LONDON (AP) — Political opposition to Prime Minister Boris Johnson's move to suspend Parliament is crystallizing, with protests around Britain and a petition to block the move gaining more than 1 million signatures.
Johnson's maneuver gives his political opponents even less time to prevent a chaotic no-deal Brexit before the Oct. 31 withdrawal deadline. But the decision outraged critics and is serving as a unifying force for the disparate opposition.
House of Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg dismissed the outrage Thursday as "phony." He insisted in an interview with the BBC that Johnson wants to outline his domestic agenda.
The move has prompted ruptures across the political spectrum, including among members of Johnson's Conservative Party. Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson was expected to resign Thursday, in part due to opposition to Johnson's Brexit strategy.
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