Young Labour members quiz MP Mark Pritchard about support for suspension of parliament

Members of the party's youth wing delivered a letter to Wrekin MP Mr Pritchard, asking him to justify his support for the Prime Minister's decision to ask for the Queen to suspend Parliament ahead of a new Queen's Speech on October 14.

The move hit fresh controversy last week after a Scottish court ruled that the Prime Minister acted unlawfully, and the matter will now be considered by the UK Supreme Court on Tuesday.

The letter has been signed by 17-year-old Lewis Compton, Wrekin Labour Party's youth officer, and was delivered to Mr Pritchard's office in Wellington by a group of teenage party members.

Lewis said in the letter that he had been brought up with a deep respect for democratic traditions, and joined a political party to play a role in upholding them.

"But I listen to the daily news with mounting anxiety that they are now under threat, not from outside forces but from our own political leaders," he wrote.

Concerns

"I know that my concerns are shared not only by people of my age group, but by many of my parents’ and grandparents' generations, and not just by members of the Labour Party but by supporters of other parties, including your own, and by people who are politically neutral.”

Lewis also asked Mr Pritchard if he supported the decision to remove the party whip from 21 Conservative MPs who had voted for a new law requiring the Prime Minister to ask for a delay to Brexit if a deal could not be struck with the EU. He further asked the MP if he would support the Prime Minister if he ignored this law.

Mr Pritchard said it was important to have a new Queen's Speech, adding that Brexit could not be delayed any longer.

"This is the longest session of Parliament in 400 years," he said.

"There have been endless delays on Brexit, Labour just want to stop Brexit and ride roughshod over the will of the British people.

"Labour's position on Brexit is as clear as mud pie."