UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has asked the Queen to suspend Parliament just days after MPs return to work in September – and only a few weeks before the Brexit deadline.
Britain is scheduled to leave the European Union on October 31. PM 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. While 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.
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On the other hand, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he had written to the Queen to request a meeting “as a matter of urgency… before any final decision is taken”.
“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.
The withdrawal agreement has already been rejected three times by the UK’s parliament, prompting May to announce her resignation in May amid a political impasse.
During his campaign, Johnson pledged to renegotiate the withdrawal agreement brokered during months of arduous negotiations between May and EU leaders or leave the bloc on the UK’s scheduled departure date of October 31 without a deal.