HEY BIG SUSPENDER Boris Johnson leaves Remainers reeling with masterstroke to close Parliament to push through Brexit
BORIS Johnson is facing an anti-Brexit revolt after The Queen approved his request to suspend Parliament and stop Jeremy Corbyn’s plan to block a No Deal exit from the EU.
Her Majesty met with members of Privy Council today at Balmoral and an order to prorogue Parliament between September 9 to October 14 was given the green light this afternoon.
Brexiteer and Lord of the Council Jacob Rees-Mogg , Baroness Evans and Mark Spencer MP were the three counsellors who met the Monarch today on behalf of the PM.
While the Queen’s decision is a boost for Boris it would have been unprecedented for her to refuse the request of a sitting PM.
No10 would have expected this step and will now look towards fighting a Corbyn no confidence vote in the Commons.
Boris’ bold move to block MPs from sitting in Parliament for around five weeks over conference season will give rebels less time to launch new plots to stop us leaving on October 31.
MPs would come back for a Queen’s Speech on October 14 under the plans, just two weeks before we’re due to leave the EU.
That would leave just days for a possible vote of no confidence in Boris, or for rebel MPs to pass a law to push back the Brexit date.
On a chaotic day in Westminster just days before MPs return:
- Boris spoke to the Queen this morning to ask her to formally approve his plan
- He wrote to MPs to tell them he would shut down Parliament over conference season – but for at least a week longer than usual
- And he threatened rebels with getting the blame for No Deal if they wrecked his EU negotiations
- But one senior official insisted that if MPs voted no confidence in Boris he wouldn’t quit – and would call an election AFTER Brexit day
- No10 also confirmed that if Boris gets a deal with the EU, they will bring it forward for a vote in the Commons before October 31
Boris said today: “We are not going to wait for October 31 before getting on with our plans to take the country forward.
“That’s why we are going to have a Queen’s speech and we are going to do it on October 14.”
“We are going to get on with it.”
And he argued there was “ample time” for MPs to debate Brexit still.
Rebel MPs had discussed plans yesterday to try and scrap the conference recess altogether to give them as much time to wreck Brexit as possible.
DON’T WRECK MY PLANS
Boris also today delivered a threat to rebel MPs – that if they try and derail his Brexit negotiations it will be their fault if we leave without a deal.
He wrote: “These weeks leading up to the European Council on 17/18 October are vitally important for the sake of my negotiations with the EU.
“Member states are watching what Parliament does with great interest, and it is only by showing unity and resolve that we stand a chance of securing a new deal that can be passed by Parliament.”
We are going to have a Queen’s speech and we are going to do it on October 14.Boris Johnson
MPs are set to come back to Parliament after their summer break next Tuesday, September 3.
But they are then expected to go off on the traditional three-week conference recess on around September 12, for the final few weeks of the month.Every year the PM shuts down parliament for several weeks to allow time for conferences – but not usually for such a long period of time.
MPs will be told to stay at home for at least an extra week.
Brexit timetable: Crucial dates as Boris suspends Parliament
September 3 – MPs return to Parliament after summer recess
September 4 – Chancellor Sajid Javid announces Brexit spending round
September 6 – Remainer MPs have hearing to stop Boris from shutting down Parliament at Court of Sessions in Scotland
September 9 – MPs debate Northern Ireland bill by law then start preparations to end the session
September 12 – Conference recess, where each party holds a mass rally for members, is held for three weeks
September 12 – October 14 – Parliament will be suspended between these dates
September 14 – Lib Dems hold party conference in Bournemouth
September 22 – Labour hold party conference in Brighton
September 29 – Conservatives hold party conference in Manchester
October 14 – Queen’s speech – marking opening of new Parliamentary session – is held
October 17 – 18 – Next EU summit planned
October 21 – 22 – Key votes on Queen’s speech – which could include elements of Tories’ policy blitz
October 31 – Britain set to finally leave the EU
November – Possible general election if Boris is forced into an election by Labour
Labour boss Jeremy Corbyn is now under pressure to table a no confidence vote in the government by next week.
But a senior official said rebels shouldn’t call a poll – because Downing Street will simply hold an election after Brexit day.
They said: “If MPs pass a no confidence vote next week then we won’t resign.
“We won’t recommend another government, we’ll dissolve parliament, call an election between November 1-5 and there’ll be zero chance of Grieve legislation.”
The “Grieve legislation” refers to the plan by the former Attorney General to force a Commons vote on an amendment to legislation on Northern Ireland.
This is designed to stop a future PM ‘proroguing’ the House.
REMAINER FURY
Remainers have reacted with fury to the news today.
Pro-EU Speaker John Bercow, who once proudly displayed a “b*****s to Brexit” car sticker despite claiming to be impartial, said it was “blindingly obvious that the purpose of prorogation now would be to stop Parliament debating Brexit and performing its duty.”
Ex-Chancellor Philip Hammond, who has been repeatedly slammed for refusing to prepare properly for a No Deal Brexit, said today it would be a “constitutional outrage if Parliament were prevented from holding the Government to account at a time of national crisis”.
He added: “Profoundly undemocratic.”
Dominic Grieve said the suspension of Parliament was an “outrageous” act and he would vote no confidence in his own administration if a vote was called.
The first thing we’ll do is attempt legislation to prevent what he trying to do and challenge him with a motion of confidence at some pointJeremy Corbyn
He told the BBC that he will work with other MPs to “take steps to ensure that the prorogation doesn’t happen, or move very quickly to a vote of no confidence in the Government.”
“If it is impossible to prevent prorogation it is going to be difficult for people like myself to keep confidence in the government,” he warned.
Corbyn said he was “appalled at the recklessness of Johnson’s government” and called it a “threat to our democracy”.
Mr Corbyn added he had written to the Queen to protest about the PM’s plan, saying it was “not acceptable” and “not on”.
He later told Sky News that Boris was “riding roughshod over Parliament” and added: “he [the PM] wants to run headlong into the arms of Donald trump with more determination that anyone I’ve seen before.”
When asked what he would do to stop the PM, he said: “The first thing we’ll do is attempt legislation to prevent what he trying to do and challenge him with a motion of confidence at some point.”
SNP boss Nicola Sturgeon said today: “Unless MPs come together to stop him next week, today will go down in history as a dark one indeed for UK democracy.”
Desperate Corbynista MPs have now called for a general strike to cancel the referendum result – urging crowds to “take to the streets”.
While the Remainers also ordered politicians to “occupy parliament.”
The Queen should look at what happened to her cousin Tino ex King of Greece when you enable a right wing coup! Monarchy abolished!Kate Osamor MP
But DUP Leader Arlene Foster, whose party currently props up Boris’ Commons majority, was pleased by the PM’s announcement.
She said: “We welcome the decision to hold a Queen’s Speech marking the start of a new session of Parliament on 14 October where the Government will set out its new domestic legislative agenda.
“In the meantime, we will continue our work with the Prime Minister to strengthen the Union, deliver a sensible deal as we exit the EU and restore devolution in Northern Ireland.
“The new session of Parliament will set a new domestic legislative programme which can deal with the matters most important to people such as their safety, their schools and their hospitals.”
TRUMPS WADES IN
But President Trump weighed in to the row this afternoon to stick up for his close ally, Boris.
He tweeted: “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.”
The pair have become close since Boris was elected as PM last month, and have spoken several times on the phone.
Over the weekend they had their first meetings at the G7 summit in France, where President Trump said he hasn’t given Boris any advice on Brexit because he “doesn’t need it”.
And several Tories weighed in behind Boris’ too this afternoon.
Today’s move caused the pound to drop against the dollar as markets jittered amongst the uncertainty.
