British Government asks Queen to suspend Parliament
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The government has asked the Queen to suspend Parliament just days after MPs return to work in September – and only a few weeks before the Brexit deadline.
Boris Johnson said a Queen’s Speech would take place after the suspension, on 14 October, to outline his “very exciting agenda”.
But it means MPs are unlikely to have time to pass laws to stop a no-deal Brexit on 31 October.
Tory backbencher Dominic Grieve called the move “an outrageous act”.
He warned it could lead to a vote of no confidence in Mr Johnson, adding: “This government will come down.”
But the prime minister said it was “completely untrue” to suggest the suspension was motivated by a desire to force through no deal.
He said he not want to wait until after Brexit “before getting on with our plans to take this country forward”, and insisted there would still be “ample time” for MPs to debate the UK’s departure.
MPs are currently due to leave Westminster for the conference recess on 14 September, meaning MPs will have a maximum of two weeks before 14 October to pass legislation blocking a no-deal Brexit if Boris Johnson fails to secure a fresh agreement with the EU.
Proroguing parliament has been mooted for months but is seen as a hugely controversial, with critics claiming it would sideline MPs and peers during a time of potential national crisis.
A group of MPs launched a legal bid earlier in the summer to stop Mr Johnson proroguing parliament. But the government is likely to claim that the move is normal procedure ahead of a Queen’s Speech.
