Queen approves order to suspend UK parliament ahead of crucial Brexit vote

London: The British Parliament will be suspended just days after MPs return to work in September - and only a few weeks before the Brexit deadline.

UK Prime Minister 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 the time MPs have to pass laws to stop a no-deal Brexit on 31 October would be cut.

House of Commons Speaker John Bercow said it was a "constitutional outrage”.

The speaker, who does not traditionally comment on political announcements, continued: "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.”

It would be "an offence against the democratic process and the rights of Parliamentarians as the people's elected representatives", he added.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: "Suspending Parliament is not acceptable, it is not on. What the prime minister is doing is a smash and grab on our democracy to force through a no deal," he said.

He said when MPs return to the Commons next Tuesday, "the first thing we'll do is attempt legislation to prevent what [the PM] is doing", followed by a vote of no confidence "at some point”.

"Our prime minister needs to be held to account by Parliament," he added.

But US President Donald Trump tweeted his support for Johnson, saying it "would be very hard" for Corbyn to seek a no-confidence vote against the PM, "especially in light of the fact that Boris is exactly what the UK has been looking for”.

The PM said suggestions the suspension was motivated by a desire to force through a no deal were "completely untrue”.

He said he did 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.

"We need new legislation. We've got to be bringing forward new and important bills and that's why we are going to have a Queen's Speech," Johnson added.

Shutting down Parliament - known as prorogation - happens after the prime minister advises the Queen to do it.

The decision to do it now is highly controversial because opponents say it would stop MPs being able to play their full 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 spokesperson, Joanna Cherry, is already working its way through the Scottish courts.

A reporter said it was established precedent to prorogue Parliament before a Queen's Speech, albeit generally more briefly, and rarely, if ever, at such a constitutionally charged time.

He said it was "Her Majesty's Government" in name only and it was her role to take the advice of her ministers, so she would prorogue Parliament if asked to.

In this case, two members of her Privy Council - Leader of the House Jacob Rees-Mogg and Chief Whip Mark Spencer - flew to the Queen's Balmoral residence on Wednesday to ask on behalf of Johnson.

While it is not possible to mount a legal challenge to the Queen's exercise of her personal prerogative powers, a legal affairs specialist said a judicial review could be launched into the advice given to her by the prime minister - to determine whether that advice was lawful.

This has been an extraordinarily long Parliamentary session, and governments have the right to shut up shop and return to announce their proposals in a new one, with all the golden carriages, fancy Westminster costumes, banging of doors and splendour that goes with it.

But that new timetable means Parliament will be suspended for longer than had been expected - it's only a matter of days, but those are days that might matter enormously.

Boris Johnson secured his place in No 10 by promising he'd do whatever it takes to leave the EU at Halloween, so this decisive and intensely risky plan will satisfy many of those who backed him.

But some others in his government are worried - moving now, even with the accompanying controversy, he sets the stage and the terms for an epic fight with MPs on all sides.

The PM 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.

But if Parliament is suspended on 10 September, as is suggested, it will only give opponents a few days next week to push for their changes.

Senior Tory backbencher and former attorney general Dominic Grieve said the move by Johnson could lead to a vote of no confidence - something opposition parties have left on the table as another option to stop no deal - adding: "This government will come down.

"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.”

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”.

Johnson has written to MPs to outline his plan, adding: "There will be a significant Brexit legislative programme to get through but that should be no excuse for a lack of ambition!”

He mentioned the NHS, tackling crime, infrastructure investment and the cost of living as important issues.

He also called on Parliament to show "unity and resolve" in the run up to the 31 October so the government "stands a chance of securing a new deal" with the EU.