LONDON – The Queen will be asked by the government to suspend Parliamentjust days after MPs return to work in September – and only a few weeksbefore the Brexit deadline.
it will make way for Boris Johnson’s new administration to hold a Queen’sSpeech – laying out the government’s plans – on 14 October.
But it means MPs are unlikely to have time to pass any laws that could stopthe prime minister taking the UK out of the EU without a deal on 31 October.
Tory backbencher and Remain campaigner Dominic Grieve called it “anoutrageous act”, and warned it could lead to a vote of no confidence inJohnson, adding: “This government will come down.”
But a No 10 source defended the move, saying: “It’s time a new governmentand new PM set out a plan for the country after we leave the EU.
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The idea of shutting down Parliament – known as prorogation – has causedcontroversy, with critics saying it would stop MPs being able to play theirdemocratic part in the Brexit process.
Laura Kuenssberg said only a small number of government ministers knewabout the plan before its announcement and it would inevitably cause a hugerow.
She said the government would argue it was “a bog standard Queen’s Speechprocess”, despite all of the surrounding noise.
