OXFORD'S pro-Europeans have reacted with fury to news that parliament will be suspended.

Boris Johnson's move – widely seen as a way to force through a no-deal Brexit and stop remainer MPs delaying the process – has sparked plans for a protest in Oxford on Saturday.

UPDATE: Oxford big wigs line up to protest parliament suspension

That follows a 'spontaneous' demonstration in the city last night and Oxford East's Anneliese Dodds accusing the prime minister of 'running away from scrutiny'.

The Labour MP tweeted: "This action is a sign of weakness from Johnson, not strength- a Prime Minister who runs away from scrutiny and challenge, and who can’t even command support from his own MPs while he tries to ram through a #NoDeal Brexit no-one voted for."

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Oxford West and Abingdon's Layla Moran added that the country was 'lurching from crisis to crisis', suggesting that a possible no deal was already damaging universities, while calling for a 'serious look at our unwritten constitution'.

The prime minister's decision has drawn criticism from across the political spectrum, with the leader of the Scottish Conservatives standing down today and around 1.5 million people signing a petition.

But, in a series of tweets, Brexiteer Witney MP Robert Courts defended the prime minister, who has said that the suspension will give him a chance to outline 'his very exciting agenda' in a Queen's Speech.

Mr Courts wrote: "Unreconciled anti-Brexit MPs have sought to trample over the constitution and manipulate parliamentary procedure in an attempt to frustrate a democratic vote that they themselves gave the British people.

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"Those now complaining were those plotting to install an alternative prime minister and government, without an election, a few days ago."

The Conservative added: "Today’s move does NOT ‘force through no-deal’. There is still ample time for debate."

Academics, business leaders and representatives from various industries have repeatedly warned in the strongest terms that a no deal would be disastrous for the country. But unless a new deal is agreed or MPs can find a way to block Mr Johnson's plans – perhaps through a vote of no confidence and snap election – Britain is set to leave without a deal on October 31.

Ahead of a planned protest against Mr Johnson's unexpected move, Oxford Labour Remain said it was ‘outraged’ by the announcement, which it said was motivated to give Mr Johnson ‘a better chance of forcing through a catastrophic no deal Brexit on the people of Oxford and our country’.

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The group continued: “This is a disgraceful and brazen attack on democracy and on all our rights. (We call) for a unified response to this constitutional crisis from the workers and people of our city (and) united and diverse movement of resistance.”

South East Green MEP Alexandra Phillips echoed the comments, branding the move 'reckless', 'deceitful' and a 'constitutional outrage'.

She added: "This is a constitutional outrage which flies in the face of democracy as we know it in this country.

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"Brexit was apparently all about 'taking back control', but by subverting the will of Parliament, the Government has committed to doing the total opposite. This sets a dangerous precedent which, if realised, will go down as the day democracy died in the mother of Parliaments."

Saturday's cross party protest, mainly organised by Oxford For Europe, will meet on Broad Street from 11am and hear from an array of academics, politicians and others.

It is being dubbed 'Stop The Coup, defend democracy', with protesters asked to join with banners, flags and placards.