Archbishop to Chair ‘Citizens’ Assembly’ to Stop Brexit

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has been criticised for interfering in democracy over plans to chair a “Citizens’ Assembly” aimed at overturning the will of the people and stopping a no-deal Brexit.

The head of the world-wide Anglican communion is liaising with cross-party Remainer MPs to organise consultations next month to come up with alternatives to a clean exit on October 31st, according to The Times.

The proposals would be put to parliament, with the newspaper of record reporting that the the debates would be modelled on the Citizens’ Assembly employed in the Republic of Ireland in 2016 to discuss a range of progressive issues including abortion, climate change, and finding responses to an “ageing population”.

Last year, the Europhile cleric has declared the EU “the greatest dream realised for human beings since the fall of the Western Roman Empire”, claiming the bloc “has brought peace, prosperity, compassion for the poor and weak, purpose for the aspirational, and hope

In reaction to the planned assembly, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that it was “news to me”, adding that the Archbishop had sent him “a very nice letter” where Welby said he wanted to “bring our country together after Brexit had been done”.

Others in the Conservative Party have criticised the Archbishop for engaging in political affairs, with former party leader Iain Duncan Smith saying: “This assembly is designed to destabilise Boris Johnson’s position. As such I hope he will recognise the deeply political nature of this.”

Mr Duncan Smith also said that the symbolism of holding the assembly at Coventry cathedral — the original having been bombed by the Germans during World War Two, thus comparing the “reconciliation” after the Brexit vote to the rebuilding of the cathedral — was “insulting”.

“World War Two saw millions die… It is wrong to think that the reconciliation after the war is anything like what is happening now. It is deeply inappropriate and should indicate that this is highly politically motivated,” he said.

Vice Chairman of the European Research Group Mark Francois added: “It is three years since the referendum result and I suspect the British people are sick and tired of being lectured by politicians about why we should overturn their democratic decision. I suspect they will not be overjoyed by having it rubbed in by the Archbishop of Canterbury to boot.”

for all its people”, while in 2017, he coupled the Brexit vote with the “fascist tradition of politics”.

And the Church of England wonders why their places of worship are embarrassingly empty!