Attempt at a coup d'état?

Rory Stewart Roderick James Nugent Stewart, OBE FRSL FRSGS is one of these people that would be fun to have as a guest at a dinner party.   

Entertaining, full of stories, some exaggerated to make it more exciting perhaps?  But I suspect people would begin to tire of him as he became more and more unbelievable.  His claim that he is actually the main challenger to Boris in the leadership campaign is truly remarkable.  But he clearly believes it.

Indeed, such is his self confidence that he is threatening / promising to lead a coup d'état, should Boris win the leadership contests.  Yes, he proclaims he would up an alternative legislative chamber if Boris prorogues Parliament.  You can read on the offical UK Parliament web site what that actually means.  So if it is on the offical Parliament, it's not illegal.  Far from it. Indeed, there are very good reasons why it has to be an option available for a prime minister.

I suppose a legitimate question is, why would anyone wish to prorogue parliament?  I think the answer is Prorogation would only be considered to ensure that the democratic process of implementing what the people of the UK voted for in 2016 is implemented.   

Indeed, it can be argued that it could be used to implement what MPs, including Mr Stewart, voted for when they voted to overwhelmingly to trigger Article 50.    

Oh, and let’s not forget about implementing the manifesto commitments of the Conservative party at the last general election.  (Perhaps he never read the manifesto like he may not have read the Article 50 legislation that he enthusiastically voted for).   

And as a method of delivering government policy it has recent use in spite of all the wailing.  Take Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in 2010.  Or further back, Clement Attlee in 1948.  Now, given MPs voted to implement Article 50, it’s only right that the government makes sure that it is implemented to its conclusion.     

Some have noticed Mr Stewart's selective approach in his faux outrage on democracy as it does not seem to stretch as far as reneging on a legal referendum duly authorised by him and Parliament, where by the winners polled 17,410,742 votes.  Clearly of the Liberal Democrat school of thought, democracy is everything, as long as I win, Mr Stewart should think carefully before threatening to establish an "alternative parliament" because that could well be outside the law: it sounds dangerously close to sedition whereas to prorogue Parliament is not illegal.    

Is Mr Stewart an egotist beyond measure?  That's for you to decide.  But I suppose you could sum up our dinner guest as a typical hardliner Remainer who won't accept the democratic will of the people in a referendum, the will of the House of Commons in which he sits when it voted for Article 50 or respect a secret ballot for leader of the party.  His vow to bring down the democratically elected leader of the Conservative Party down because he didn't win the argument is really the worst case of throwing your toys out of the pram.