Boris Johnson to ask Queen to suspend Parliament from mid-September in blow for anti-Brexit MPs
2 min read
Boris Johnson is to ask the Queen to suspend Parliament in a bid to derail the plans of anti-Brexit MPs.
Under the Prime Minister’s plan, Parliament would be “prorogued” from 9 September until 14 October, when the monarch will deliver a Queen’s Speech setting out the Government’s legislative plans.
The move, set to be confirmed by the Privy Council on Wednesday, would greatly reduce the time available for MPs to pass any new laws aimed at stopping a no-deal Brexit before 31 October.
It will also further increase speculation that Mr Johnson is planning a snap election.
A Number 10 source said: “It's time a new government and new PM set out a plan for the country after we leave the EU."
The explosive move comes after a group of opposition MPs led by Jeremy Corbyn agreed to pursue a new Commons bid to thwart Mr Johnson from forcing through Brexit even if no new deal has been reached by the Hallowe'en deadline.
Leading the backlash against Mr Johnson’s move, deputy Labour leader Tom Watson tweeted: "This action is an utterly scandalous affront to our democracy. We cannot let this happen."
Liberal Democrat Brexit spokesperson Tom Brake added: "The mother of all Parliaments will not allow him to shut the #PeoplesParliament out of the biggest decision facing our country.
"His declaration of war will be met with an iron fist."
Meanwhile, Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, said: "It seems that Boris Johnson may actually be about to shut down Parliament to force through a no deal Brexit.
"Unless MPs come together to stop him next week, today will go down in history as a dark one indeed for UK democracy."
But Conservative Party Chairman James Cleverly said: "Government to hold a Queen's Speech just as all new Governments do."
A Downing Street source told the BBC it would be a "bog-standard" Queen's speech covering the government's domestic agenda.
They said the speech would set out Mr Johnson's plans for "improving the NHS, helping police fight violent crime, stopping violent criminals getting out early, investing in science + infrastructure, and attacking the cost of living with aggressive tax cuts + other measures".
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