Queen approves Boris Johnson's request to suspend Parliament in September - full reaction

The Queen has approved Boris Johnson's plan for an extended suspension of Parliament, in a move which will hamper efforts by MPs to thwart a no-deal Brexit.

The Prime Minister will temporarily close down the Commons from the second week of September until October 14, when there will be a Queen's Speech to open a new session of Parliament.

The Queen approved the order to prorogue Parliament no earlier than September 9 and no later than September 12, until October 14.

Opposition leaders have written to the monarch in protest and Commons Speaker John Bercow said the move was a "constitutional outrage" designed to stop Parliament debating Brexit.

The Prime Minister said a Queen's Speech would take place after the suspension, on 14 October, to outline his "very exciting agenda".

Boris Johnson tells MPs they’ll vote on Brexit plans on 21 & 22 October - after a crucial EU summit on 17 October pic.twitter.com/sp8UF6TAl9

— Paris Gourtsoyannis (@thistlejohn) August 28, 2019

Tory backbencher Dominic Grieve called the move "an outrageous act".

In response to the report, Independent Group for Change MP Chris Leslie wrote on Twitter: "If true, this undemocratic manoeuvre to try and shut down Parliament must be fought every step of the way.

"How totally underhanded of Boris Johnson to make the Queen sign off on this plot it in a secret ceremony up in Balmoral. The House of Commons must assemble and veto this."

What could it mean for Brexit?

Opposition MPs met yesterday to try to agree a united front against a no-deal Brexit.

Their most likely tactic to stop the UK crashing out of the EU without a deal on October 31 is through bringing legislation to the Commons that would change this being the default position.

MPs have already done this once - in April they passed a law forcing ex-PM Theresa May to ask for an extension to the UK's EU membership.