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Government to ask Queen to suspend Parliament | Government to ask Queen to suspend Parliament |
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The Queen will be asked by the government to suspend Parliament just days after MPs return to work in September - and only a few weeks before the Brexit deadline. | The Queen will be asked by the government to suspend Parliament just days after MPs return to work in September - and only a few weeks before the Brexit deadline. |
BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg says it will make way for Boris Johnson's new administration to hold a Queen's Speech - laying out the government's plans - on 14 October. | BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg says it will make way for Boris Johnson's new administration to hold a Queen's Speech - laying out the government's plans - on 14 October. |
But it means MPs are unlikely to have time to pass any laws that could stop the prime minister taking the UK out of the EU without a deal on 31 October. | But it means MPs are unlikely to have time to pass any laws that could stop the prime minister taking the UK out of the EU without a deal on 31 October. |
Tory backbencher and Remain campaigner Dominic Grieve called it "an outrageous act", and warned it could lead to a vote of no confidence in Mr Johnson, adding: "This government will come down." | Tory backbencher and Remain campaigner Dominic Grieve called it "an outrageous act", and warned it could lead to a vote of no confidence in Mr Johnson, adding: "This government will come down." |
But a No 10 source defended the move, saying: "It's time a new government and new PM set out a plan for the country after we leave the EU." | But a No 10 source defended the move, saying: "It's time a new government and new PM set out a plan for the country after we leave the EU." |
The idea of shutting down Parliament - known as prorogation - has caused controversy, with critics saying it would stop MPs being able to play their democratic part in the Brexit process. | The idea of shutting down Parliament - known as prorogation - has caused controversy, with critics saying it would stop MPs being able to play their democratic part in the Brexit process. |
A number of high profile figures, including former Prime Minister John Major, have threatened to go to the courts to stop it, and a legal challenge led by the SNP's justice spokeswoman Joanna Cherry is already working its way through the Scottish courts. | |
Laura Kuenssberg said only a small number of government ministers knew about the plan in advance and it would inevitably cause a huge row. | |
She said the government would argue it was "a bog standard Queen's Speech process", despite all of the surrounding noise. | She said the government would argue it was "a bog standard Queen's Speech process", despite all of the surrounding noise. |
Mr Johnson says he wants to leave the EU on 31 October with a deal, but it is "do or die" and he is willing to leave without one rather than miss the deadline. | Mr Johnson says he wants to leave the EU on 31 October with a deal, but it is "do or die" and he is willing to leave without one rather than miss the deadline. |
That position has prompted a number of opposition MPs to come together to try to block a possible no deal, and on Tuesday they announced that they intended to use parliamentary process to do so. | That position has prompted a number of opposition MPs to come together to try to block a possible no deal, and on Tuesday they announced that they intended to use parliamentary process to do so. |
But if Parliament is suspended on 10 September, as is suggested, it will only give them a few days next week to push for their changes. | But if Parliament is suspended on 10 September, as is suggested, it will only give them a few days next week to push for their changes. |
'Utterly scandalous' | |
Mr Grieve - a former attorney general - told BBC Radio 5 Live: "If the prime minister persists with this and doesn't back off, then I think the chances are that his administration will collapse. | Mr Grieve - a former attorney general - told BBC Radio 5 Live: "If the prime minister persists with this and doesn't back off, then I think the chances are that his administration will collapse. |
"There is plenty of time to do that if necessary [and] I will certainly vote to bring down a Conservative government that persists in a course of action which is so unconstitutional." | "There is plenty of time to do that if necessary [and] I will certainly vote to bring down a Conservative government that persists in a course of action which is so unconstitutional." |
Labour deputy leader Tom Watson tweeted that the move was an "utterly scandalous affront to our democracy". | Labour deputy leader Tom Watson tweeted that the move was an "utterly scandalous affront to our democracy". |
Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said MPs must come together to stop the plan next week, or "today will go down in history as a dark one indeed for UK democracy". | Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said MPs must come together to stop the plan next week, or "today will go down in history as a dark one indeed for UK democracy". |
But Conservative Party Chairman James Cleverly defended the plan as what "all new governments do". | |
Prorogation in a nutshell | |
Parliament is normally suspended - or prorogued - for a short period before a new session begins. It is done by the Queen, on the advice of the prime minister. | |
Parliamentary sessions normally last a year, but the current one has been going on for more than two years - ever since the June 2017 election. | |
When Parliament is prorogued, no debates and votes are held - and most laws that haven't completed their passage through Parliament die a death. | |
This is different to "dissolving" Parliament - where all MPs give up their seats to campaign in a general election. | |
The last two times Parliament was suspended for a Queen's Speech that was not after a general election the closures lasted for four and 13 working days respectively. | |
If this prorogation happens as expected, it will see Parliament closed for 23 working days. | |
MPs have to approve recess dates, but they cannot block prorogation. | |
Parliament returns from summer recess - or break - next week, and another recess was expected to take place between roughly 13 September and 8 October to cover the political conference season. | |
There had been rumours, however, that the latter could be cancelled or shortened to keep business going in the run-up to Brexit. | |
Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith told BBC Radio 5 Live the decision to suspend Parliament was "not sinister at all", and the dates for suspension covered "pretty much" the same period as party conference recess. | |
He said Mr Johnson was trying to get a new Brexit deal agreed, and MPs who were "charging around trying to stop [him] need to rethink themselves carefully". | |
Do you have any questions about the proposed suspension of Parliament? | Do you have any questions about the proposed suspension of Parliament? |
Use this form to ask your question: | Use this form to ask your question: |