Boris Johnson has been accused of committing a “constitutional outrage” after he asked the Queen to allow him to suspend parliament for five weeks until 14 October.
Opposition leaders believe the move is an attempt to stop them from blocking a no-deal Brexit, prompting critics to accuse him of acting like a “tin-pot dictator”.
In a day of high drama, protesters descended on Westminster demanding the PM “stops the coup”, with hundreds over a million people signing a petition against prorogation within hours.
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Sajid Javid has cancelled his first major speech as chancellor and the Treasury has brought forward its spending round to 4 September – prompting speculation that an early election is on the horizon.
Here’s the latest.
Sajid Javid cancels first major speech as chancellor
‘Panic seems to be setting in inside government’, shadow chancellor claimsShadow chancellor John McDonnell is not impressed by news of a 4 September spending review.
“Nobody is fooled into believing that this is a proper and normal spending review. It’s a one-off pre-election panic-driven stunt budget,” he says.
A Home Office ad campaign informing EU nationals how to confirm their UK status after Brexit has been banned for being “misleading”.
Here’s our social affairs correspondent May Bulman with the details.
Home Office ad telling EU citizens how to stay in UK after Brexit banned for being 'misleading'
Advertising watchdog says the ad breaches regulations by claiming applicants only need passport or ID card
Boris Johnson’s Brexit “sherpa” – his Europe adviser David Frost – heads to Brussels today for talks with EU officials on Wednesday to discuss possible alternatives to the Irish backstop.
It follows a phone call between the PM and European Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker on Tuesday evening, in which Johnson told Juncker that nothing short of removing the backstop would be good enough for his government.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “The PM was also clear however that unless the Withdrawal Agreement is reopened and the backstop abolished there is no prospect of that deal.”
A spokesman for the commission said Juncker used the exchange to repeat his willingness to “work constructively” to look at “concrete proposals he may have, as long as they are compatible with the Withdrawal Agreement”.
Juncker said the EU was “fully prepared for a no-deal scenario” but added that the bloc would do “everything it can to avoid such a situation”.
The surprise announcement that chancellor Sajid Javid will set out Whitehall spending budgets next week has fuelled speculation that the government is preparing for an early election.
Dr Paul Johnson, director at the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) think tank, said the big things to look out for were the total level of spending increase and where any additional money goes.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The prime minister has used the term people’s priorities, he’s talked about health, he’s talked about police, he’s talked about schools, but actually over the last several years the bits of public services that have really suffered much worse than those areas are the justice system, prisons and courts and so on, local government, social care and further education.
“So, not only has he got to decide how much to spend, but is he actually going to spend it on those areas which sound most popular or those areas which frankly actually need it even more than our schools, our hospitals and our police?”
On possible no-deal measures, Dr Johnson warned a “general splurge may not be particularly effective” and “may cause more problems than it helps because it might just push prices up further”.
Former Tory leadership candidate Rory Stewart has said he is “hesitating” to work with Jeremy Corbyn, despite his opposition to a no-deal Brexit.
The Labour leader has fired off a letter to 116 Tory and independent MPs asking them to join forces to block a crash-out departure from the EU.
More from Tory MP Rory Stewart. “I think we need to learn again to compromise and be pragmatic,” he said on the Today programme.
“I would definitely vote against a no-deal Brexit and I think it’s important to understand there’s never been a majority in parliament for a no-deal Brexit, this is one of the fundamental facts that's been true for months, but the second question is then what?
“And that’s where I think I probably disagree with some of these opposition MPs.”
There is talk of a possible meeting of the Privy Council today to discuss an extension of the parliamentary recess usually held for conference season, according to The Guardian’s political editor.
The Privy Council is the formal body of advisors to the Queen.
The BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg has confirmed that the Privy Council will be discussing parliamentary procedure and timetables for October today.
The government wants to hold a Queen’s speech on 14 October, which would give MPs less time to block no-deal Brexit.
The Tory party chairman James Cleverly has shrugged off the big news about today’s Privy Council meeting in Balmoral.
Furious reaction to the idea of suspending parliament.
Green MP Caroline Lucas: “The act of a cowardly PM who knows his reckless No Deal Brexit will never gain the support of MPs. A constitutional outrage which Parliament & the people will oppose.”
Lib Dem MP Chuka Umunna: “The Prime Minister is behaving like a tin-pot dictator, pure and simple, and the #PeoplesParliament will not stand for it.”
Lib Dem MP Tom Brake: “The mother of all Parliaments will not allow him to shut the #PeoplesParliament out of the biggest decision facing our country. His declaration of war will be met with an iron fist.”
More reaction to the idea of suspending parliament in September.
Labour MP Paul Sweeney: “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.”
Labour MP Jonathan Ashworth: “This is real tin-pot stuff from Boris Johnson, an affront to democracy to push through his catastrophic version of Brexit and avoid accountability. Shameful.”
SNP MP Marion Fellows: “Boris Johnson’s plan to shut down Parliament is contrary to the very principle of democracy. He is riding roughshod over Scotland and all the citizens who elected their MPs to represent them in Parliament by denying us a voice.”
Under the reported government plans, parliament would be suspended days after MPs return from their summer recess next week – and would only return for a Queen's Speech on 14 October.
Benjamin Kentish has the latest details.
Boris Johnson to suspend parliament from mid-September to force through no-deal Brexit
Boris Johnson will ask the Queen to suspend parliament from mid-September until just two weeks before the 31 October deadline, reports indicate.More angry reaction to the big news.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon: “So 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.”
Lib Dem MP Sarah Wollaston: “Johnson behaving like a tin pot dictator. Time for ministers to resign & Conservative MPs to cross the floor rather than be tainted with this outrage.”
Labour MP 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.”
A No 10 source has defended the plan to suspend parliament. “It’s time a new government and new PM set out a plan for the country after we leave the EU,” the spokesperson has told the BBC.
More reaction.
Labour deputy leader Tom Watson: “We do not have a “new government.” This action is an utterly scandalous affront to our democracy. We cannot let this happen.”
Independent Group for Change MP Anna Soubry: “Outrageous that Parliament will be shut down at a moment of crisis as we face crashing out of the EU with no deal & for which there is no mandate. Our democracy is under threat from a ruthless PM elected by less than 100K Con members. Email your MP now & demand Parliament sits.”
Just one supportive voice so far.
Tory MP John Redwood: “I look forward to a new session of Parliament with a positive Queens speech to take advantage of the money and freedoms we gain by leaving the EU.”
Labour MP Hilary Benn: “Whatever views one holds on Brexit, it is completely unacceptable that Parliament should be prevented from holding the Government to account at this absolutely crucial time for our country and its future.”
Labour MP Angela Rayner: “A constitutional outrage plain and simple, Charles 1st did this regularly which caused chaos, now an unelected PM seeking to shut parliament down for his own political gain, this isn't taking back democracy this is destroying democracy.”
Independent MP Chris Leslie: “Worth knowing: it takes a Royal Commission, comprised from these seven Lords Commissioners, to agree to present the Queen’s order in the Lords if Parliament is to be prorogued.”
Craig Oliver, who was Downing Street director of communications under David Cameron, has tweeted about the plan to suspend parliament.
