Boris Johnson declares war on MPs with plan to ask Queen to suspend Parliament

Boris Johnson today declared war on Parliament and the British constitution as he asked the Queen to suspend the Commons weeks before Brexit.

The Prime Minister was branded a "tinpot dictator" launching an "Eton coup" after a Cabinet minister confirmed reports he is planning a Queen's Speech.

That will mean "proroguing" - suspending - Parliament just days from now, at the exact moment MPs were planning to table a law to prevent no-deal Brexit.

It could also delay any bid to force a no-confidence vote in the government.

Reports suggest the Queen's Speech will be held on October 14 - with confirmation expected today from the Queen's advisors, the Privy Council, who are meeting Her Majesty at her summer retreat Balmoral.

The BBC reported Parliament will sit only from a brief period, from September 3 to around September 11, before being suspended.

Lib Dem Brexit spokesman Tom Brake declared: "His declaration of war will be met with an iron fist." A former minister told The Times: "It's outrageous and profoundly undemocratic."

LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 24: Queen Elizabeth II welcomes newly elected leader of the Conservative party, Boris Johnson during an audience where she invited him to become Prime Minister and form a new government in Buckingham Palace on July 24, 2019 in London, England. The British monarch remains politically neutral and the incoming Prime Minister visits the Palace to satisfy the Queen that they can form her government by being able to command a majority, holding the greater number of seats, in Parliament. Then the Court Circular records that a new Prime Minister has been appointed. (Photo by Victoria Jones - WPA Pool/Getty Images) (WPA Pool)

Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson tweeted: "This action is an utterly scandalous affront to our democracy. We cannot let this happen."

It comes just a day after Jeremy Corbyn and opposition leaders agreed to table a law next week aimed at stopping a no-deal Brexit on October 31.

It also comes hours after more than 200 MPs signed a declaration in Westminster's Church House, vowing to carry on sitting in an alternative venue if Parliament is suspended.

The move, which No10 sources denied planning just three days ago, would confirm weeks of speculation that the Prime Minister plans to send MPs home to stop them blocking a no-deal Brexit .  

Downing Street did not reply to a string of texts and phone calls from the Mirror.

But Conservative Party chairman James Cleverly confirmed on Twitter: "Government to hold a Queen’s Speech, just as all new Governments do."

A Downing Street source told the BBC it would be a "bog-standard" Queen's Speech process about "improving the NHS, helping police fight violent crime, stopping violent criminals getting out early, investing in science + infrastructure, and attacking the cost of living with aggressive tax cuts + other measures".

The last Queen's Speech was held more than two years ago - the longest gap in 400 years. And MPs were due to leave the Commons anyway for their standard recess for party conferences, around the end of September.

But Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "It seems that Boris 
Johnson may actually be about to shut down Parliament to force through a no deal Brexit .

"Unless MPs come together to stop him next week, today will go down in 
history as a dark one indeed for UK democracy."

(Getty)

Former Labour MP Chris Leslie said: "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."

Labour MP Stephen Doughty said the "unconstitutional and undemocratic outrage" would "pull the Queen into a major political crisis".

Green MP Caroline Lucas said on Twitter : "Wasn't this meant to be about 'taking back control'? The act of a cowardly Prime Minister who knows his reckless No Deal Brexit will never gain the support of MPs. A constitutional outrage which Parliament and the people will oppose."

Green MEP Molly Scott Cato added: "This will mean the end of democracy in Britain."

Labour MP and former Government minister Yvette Cooper tweeted: "Boris Johnson is trying to use the Queen to concentrate power in his own hands - this is a deeply dangerous and irresponsible way to govern."

Naomi Smith, chief executive of anti-Brexit group Best for Britain, said: "It would make no sense for the Queen to back this deeply undemocratic, unconstitutional and fundamentally political manoeuvre from the government.

"If the Queen is asked to help, she would do well to remember history doesn’t look too kindly on royals who aid and abet the suspension of democracy."

Former Tory MP Sarah Wollaston said the Prime Minister was "behaving like a tin pot dictator".

Labour MP Paul Sweeney added: "This is an attempted coup by an elite old Etonian against our democratic Parliament. It will however only serve to galvanise MPs to strike hard and decisively to prevent a no deal Brexit next week."