In a move that forestalls the possibility of Parliament legislating against a no-deal Brexit scenario, Queen Elizabeth II has approved Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s request to dissolve parliament.
In a statement released by the Queen’s official body of advisers, the Privy Council, it was announced that Parliament would be suspended on a day between September 9 and September 12, and that the suspension would last until October 14.
"It is this day ordered by Her Majesty in Council that the Parliament be prorogued on a day no earlier than Monday the 9th day of September and no later than Thursday the 12th day of September 2019 to Monday the 14th day of October 2019," the statement read.
The Queen’s power to shut down parliament – prorogation – is usually wielded every autumn. With the current parliament’s session the country’s longest in nearly 400 years, it was inevitable that it would be enacted as it was timed with a three-week recess scheduled for September. The decision does shorten the time that MPs have to formulate legislation that can prevent a no-deal Brexit.
Shortly before the Queen's decision, US President Donald Trump tweeted in support of the move, saying, “Would be very hard for Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of Britain’s Labour Party, to seek a no-confidence vote against New Prime Minister Boris Johnson, especially in light of the fact that Boris is exactly what the U.K. has been looking for, & will prove to be “a great one!” Love U.K.”
Johnson announced that a Queen’s Speech would take place following the suspension, on October 14, outlining his “very exciting agenda”.
The House of Commons Speaker, John Bercow, called the move a “constitutional outrage”, breaking from the Speaker’s traditionally non-political stance to say, “However it is dressed up, it is blindingly obvious that the purpose of [suspending Parliament] now would be to stop [MPs} debating Brexit and performing its duty in shaping a course for the country.”
The leader of the House, Jacob Rees-Mogg, however, said the move was a “completely proper constitutional procedure”.
Jeremy Corbyn, leader of the Opposition and head of the Labour Party, called the move “an attempt by the prime minister...to ride roughshod over parliament and prevent any legislation of debate that would stop this country from leaving the EU without a deal and all the problems that it would cost.”
Earlier, Corbyn had announced that he would call for a vote of no-confidence to prevent a no-deal Brexit scenario.
The deadline for the United Kingdom to leave the EU is October 31.