Agenda item

Urgent Item of Business - Notice of Motion Regarding "Proroguing of Parliament"

Minutes:

4.1

The Lord Mayor (Councillor Tony Downing) announced the proposal that an urgent item of business be considered at this point in the proceedings. Council Procedure Rule 26 states that “An item of business may be considered at a meeting of the Council as a matter of urgency, where it has not been possible to give five clear working days’ notice, on the recommendation of the Chair, but the reason for such urgency must be recorded in the minutes. Any non-confidential or non-exempt report relating to such item must be made available for public inspection once it has been issued.”.

 

 

4.2

The Leader of the Council (Councillor Julie Dore) had requested that the Council considers an additional Notice of Motion regarding the Proroguing of Parliament, following the Prime Minister’s decision made after the Council agenda had been published in the previous week. In view of the nature and timing of the issue, the Lord Mayor stated that he was satisfied that there were clear reasons for taking the Notice of Motion as an urgent item of business.

 

 

4.3

The proposed Motion was circulated to all Members of the Council on 3rd September 2019 and was published on the Council’s website. Copies of the Motion were made available in the Council Chamber and Public Gallery.

 

 

4.4

It was moved by Councillor Julie Dore, and seconded by Councillor Penny Baker, that this Council:-

 

 

 

(a)       profoundly opposes the decision made by the Prime Minister last week to prorogue Parliament, believes that this is a cynical tactic attempting to facilitate a no-deal Brexit and is an affront to our parliamentary democracy;

 

(b)       believes this is compounded by the Rt. Hon. Michael Gove MP refusing to rule out the Government ignoring legislation that could be passed by Parliament and believes this would be an unprecedented move and undermine the principle of parliamentary sovereignty;

 

(c)        urges all Members of Parliament – from all parties – to work together in the national interest to stop the devastating effects of a reckless, divisive and destructive no-deal Brexit; and

 

(d)       asks that a copy of this motion is sent to all Sheffield Members of Parliament and the Prime Minister to reverse this appalling decision.

 

 

4.5

After contributions from eight other Members, and following a right of reply from Councillor Julie Dore, the Motion was put to the vote and carried as follows:-

 

 

 

RESOLVED: That this Council:-

 

 

 

(a)       profoundly opposes the decision made by the Prime Minister last week to prorogue Parliament, believes that this is a cynical tactic attempting to facilitate a no-deal Brexit and is an affront to our parliamentary democracy;

 

 

 

(b)       believes this is compounded by the Rt. Hon. Michael Gove MP refusing to rule out the Government ignoring legislation that could be passed by Parliament and believes this would be an unprecedented move and undermine the principle of parliamentary sovereignty;

 

(c)        urges all Members of Parliament – from all parties – to work together in the national interest to stop the devastating effects of a reckless, divisive and destructive no-deal Brexit; and

 

 

 

(d)       asks that a copy of this motion is sent to all Sheffield Members of Parliament and the Prime Minister to reverse this appalling decision.