“NO to Bojo” was the call at a protest held in Durham on Wednesday evening against the Prime Minister’s plans to suspend parliament.

Dozens of protestors gathered in the Market Place in Durham city centre to speak out against what has been dubbed “an assault on democracy".

The announcement from the Prime Minister prompted members of the Durham Labour group to organise the meeting, and speakers included Jude Kirton-Darling, North-East Labour MEP, Julie Ward, Labour North-West MEP, and the founder of The Women’s Banner Group, Laura Daly.

Paul Daly, chair of Sedgefield Labour Party, also spoke at the protest.

He said: “Boris Johnson was not elected, he has the smallest mandate going, I think more people voted for Boaty McBoatface than Boris Johnson for PM.

“This isn’t about stay or leave, this is about our democratic process, every single person who cares about democracy is extremely welcome here, whether you voted remain or leave.

“How can we call ourselves a democracy when an unelected Prime Minister goes to an unelected monarch to demand the dissolution of our democracy? How can that be democratic?

“People will have to take more action if they want the government to take action.”

Laura Daly added: “Suffragettes, suffragists, trade unionists, politicians, have all fought for our right for democracy and that is now being eradicated by one man.

“Boris has never worked a proper day in his whole life, he’s never laboured, he’s never toiled, he’s never worked in the pits.

“He hasn’t got a clue how hard you work, he doesn’t own us and we need to tell him that.”

Banners and posters were held by members of the public, all against Mr Johnson’s plans to prorogue Parliament, with "No to Bojo", "Power to Parliament" and "Defend Democracy" among the slogans.

Addressing the meeting, Durham County Councillor Maura McKeon said: “I am 25-years-old, that means I have never known a life outside of the European Union.

“And it also means that I’m used to being disenfranchised. In 2010 for that election I was 16-years-old and I was so used to people talking about me.

“I was the first year to see my tuition fees increased, my educational maintenance allowance was slashed, that entire election campaign was all about me without my voice there and I thought when I turned 18 and I got the vote, that the women before me had fought for, I thought I would never be in that position again but yet here we are all of us, disenfranchised once more.”

Jude Kirton-Darling added: “Today is an absolute assault on the fundamentals of our democratic system.

“I’m just asking you to say no. No, in the name of the people of the North-East, we are not willing to let this band of liars and rogues take our democracy without a fight.”