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Brexit: Boris Johnson poised to suspend parliament – live news Brexit: chaotic scenes in the Commons as parliament is suspended – live news
(32 minutes later)
Democracy - Westminster style! pic.twitter.com/OGvs5CAwsW
Richard Wheeler, PA’s parliamentary editor, calls tonight “arguably the most surreal time I’ve spent in the Commons chamber in six-and-a-half years” as Labour and opposition MPs remained in the chamber as the Speaker and Conservative MPs left to go to the House of Lords to watch the ceremony required for prorogation.
Opposition MPs, holding up signs saying “silenced”, who chanted “Shame on you!” as Conservative MPs left the chamber, started singing – Red Flag, Jerusalem, Flower of Scotland and Bread of Heaven.
Bread of Heaven now comes from Welsh Labour
Now singing in the chamber as we wait for return of the Speaker. Much as I would love to boast of the Scots’ talents, the Welsh contingent have really proved their choral qualities tonight.
Parliament has been suspended until 14 October.
Jeremy Corbyn is now shaking hands with John Bercow and Labour MPs are queued up to shake Bercow’s hand. The Speaker is taking his time with each handshake, giving Ian Blackford a big pat of the back and a rub of the arm. Bercow now hugging John McDonell. This might take a while.
The camera has just panned back and we can see nine Conservative MPs.
The Conservative benches are almost empty, whereas the Labour benches are packed with MPs holding up signs saying “silenced”. These are quite extraordinary scenes.
John Bercow is reading out what happened. He sounds incredibly bored. He is saying that the leader of the House of Lords addressed the group and gave assent to the proroguing of parliament.
John Bercow has returned to the House of Commons, where he was given a huge round of applause by Labour MPs.
“I feel much more at home here,” he says.
The group – including Bercow and Black Rod – are now returning back to the House of Commons where opposition MPs have been singing.
Lords have addressed the Speaker and ordered that parliament has been prorogued. There was a lot of hat-tipping and now the Speaker, Black Rod and other key MPs have left the Lords.
Whole thing just incredible. Speaker to Black Rod: This is not normal...it is an act of executive fiat’ pic.twitter.com/Gj6iBwyQ1U
There are some serious scenes going on right now, as opposition MPs band together in protest at the prorogation by singing.
I can confirm that we just sang Scots Wha Hae and now it’s Plaid and Labour having a wee go as well... Tories utterly dumbfounded !
Opposition MPs were holding up signs in parliament saying “silenced”.
pic.twitter.com/Tvtk2yHhMq
And one of these signs has been left on the Speaker’s chair. Labour MP Clive Lewis has posted a photograph of it alongside a quote suggesting what has happened today equates to “tyranny”.
“Silent acquiescence in the face of tyranny is no better than outright agreement.”#OurParliamentSilenced pic.twitter.com/DxlVXXWWjR
Bercow was loudly applauded by opposition MPs as he left the chamber. Labour MPs then chanted “shame on you!” to Conservatives as they exited.
Bercow being applauded by the Opposition. Labour MPs screaming “shame on you!” to ministers. These are absolutely extraordinary scenes.
Some classic Bercow in that last speech, which he interrupted to address an MP who was heckling him (I missed the original comment), to which Bercow responded:
“I require no response from you Mr Stephenson! You wouldn’t have the foggiest idea where to start in counselling me. I require no response from you, I require no response to you! Get out, man!”
The heckling continues, someone yells: “Anti-deomocratic”.The heckling continues, someone yells: “Anti-deomocratic”.
Someone heckles the Speaker to “do your job for which you’re handsomely paid”. And he has walked out of the parliament, followed by MPs.
MPs are chanting “Shame on you!” as the Conservative benches empty.
The Speaker says he treats Black Rod with respect and he understands that the Lords are doing what “they believe to be right”.
He says he is happy to play he part. But wants to point out: “this is not a standard or normal prorogation” and that it “represents an act of executive fiat”.
Black Rod has entered and is addressing the Speaker.
And we’re back. The door has been ordered to be closed.
Parliament was meant to be back five minutes ago, but is still not back. Maybe someone lost their ermine robe.
A reminder that progroguing parliament does not just have implications for Brexit.
Parliament will not sit again until 15 October and a host of bills will not be heard because of the break, including, as Jon Featonby from the British Red Cross points out, a bill about reuniting refugees in the UK with their family members.
Prorogation means that the Refugee Family Reunion Private Members' Bill falls. Thanks to @AngusMacNeilSNP for leading the efforts, and to many, many others for their support #familiestogether
We are about two minutes away from parliament being prorogued. So, what is actually going to happen? My colleagues Martin Belam and Jessica Elgot have written this helpful guide including this information about the ceremony that is about to take place:
You cannot do anything in Westminster without a bit of pomp and circumstance. A ceremony of prorogation involves a message from the Queen being read in the House of Lords, and then Black Rod summoning MPs from the Commons to the Lords. A list of all the bills passed by the parliament is read, followed by a speech on behalf of the Queen announcing what has been achieved by the government before MPs are sent home. Given what is on the order paper in parliament on Monday, this is likely to happen very late this evening.
UK parliament's prorogation: all your questions answered
Good evening/early hours of the morning everyone. This is Kate Lyons taking over from Mattha Busby.
Parliament has been suspended for 10 minutes to prepare for the prorogation formalities. Or as David Linden (SNP MP) put it “so folk can get their ermine robes and funny hats on”.
In short, we’ve suspended so a few folk can get their ermine robes and funny hats on. pic.twitter.com/KEBGKrmWYV
Plaid Cymru’s Liz Saville Roberts says all the checks and balances of parlimentary democracy have been “deliberately stormed”.
When the government teeters between avoiding and evading the law, this is neither normal nor honourable. We desperately need a new politics of citizens conventions in every nation, of truth and conciliation in an informed referendum, with article 50 revoked if necessary for this to happen.
The Green Party’s Caroline Lucas says that events tonight have clearly shown that the political system is broken.
It is wrong that a prime minister can suspend parliament as a mere inconvenience simply to avoid scrutiny. It is wrong that he can cynically try to use the proposals for a general election as a way of getting us to crash out of the EU while we’re in the middle of a general election campaign. We can no longer continue with an uncodified constitution that depends on people playing by the rules when we have a feral government.
Liberal Democrat MP Sir Ed Davey says his party is offering the prime minister a way out: “Put it to the people in a People’s Vote”.