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Boris Johnson’s government is reportedly planning to ask the Queen to suspend parliament until October 14, just weeks before the UK’s Brexit deadline.
Doing so will afford the British government an opportunity to block any opposition MPs from passing laws that would prevent a ‘no-deal’ Brexit on October 31. Johnson has previously vowed to deliver Brexit, deal or no deal, on October 31.
The referendum result must be respected.
We will leave the EU on 31st October. #LeaveOct31
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) August 27, 2019
Shutting down parliament, known as ‘prorogation,’ takes place regularly (usually in April or May) but the timing of it on this occasion is conspicuous, as any laws that are currently in process are essentially stopped dead in their tracks while the government is suspended.
Under prorogation, MPs keep their seats and ministers retain their positions but no debates or votes are held, which essentially scuppers all hope that Remainers may have of a last-ditch effort to prevent Brexit, or of passing a Brexit deal through parliament.
If Johnson goes ahead with his prorogation request, parliament will be suspended on September 10, giving opposition MPs only a few days to push through their final parliamentary efforts to block a likely no-deal Brexit.
Read more: Brexit 78 days away, British Parliament ready to take on PM Johnson
The move drags the Queen into the heart of the Brexit issue, from which the royal family has abstained since the 2016 referendum. The monarch would have to accept or deny Johnson’s request to prorogue, though her refusal could lead to a constitutional crisis.
The reports of a push towards prorogation come just one day after lawmakers opposed to a no-deal Brexit met to discuss legal strategies to force yet another delay in the Brexit process. Both Johnson’s office and Buckingham Palace have so far declined to comment on the reports.
RT with additional input by GVS News Desk