The Queen has approved British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's plan to shut down the UK Parliament for several weeks ahead of the Brexit deadline.

Key points: Mr Johnson has denied the move is to prevent MPs stopping a no-deal Brexit

Mr Johnson has denied the move is to prevent MPs stopping a no-deal Brexit One MP described the move as an attempt to govern without Parliament

One MP described the move as an attempt to govern without Parliament The UK is due to leave the EU on October 31

Critics argue the PM's move is part of a drive to prevent MPs from having a say on a controversial no-deal exit from the European Union.

It comes a day after politicians who are opposed to a no-deal Brexit met to discuss ways they could use parliamentary procedure to force Mr Johnson to seek a delay to Brexit.

Mr Johnson said he had asked the Queen to request an end to the current parliamentary session in the second sitting week in September, just days after they have returned to work, and bring it back for a Queen's speech nearly a month later on October 14.

"We're not going to wait until October the 31st before getting on with our plans to take this country forward, and this is a new Government with a very exciting agenda," Mr Johnson said.

"We are bringing forward a new legislative program on crime, hospitals, making sure we have the education funding we need.

"To do that we need new legislation, we've got to be bringing forward new and important bills and that's why we are going to have a Queen's speech, and we're going to do it on October 14."

The Queen, seen here meeting the newly minted PM, has granted Mr Johnson's latest request. ( AP: Victoria Jones, pool )

The Prime Minister denied the move was designed to prevent MPs the time to stop a no-deal Brexit.

"No, that is completely untrue," Mr Johnson said.

Mr Johnson said MPs would have "ample time" to debate the UK's departure from the EU, which is currently set for October 31.

The move caused protests in London, with a group gathering in Westminster chanting "stop the coup".

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 55 seconds 55 s Protesters gathered to denounce Boris Johnson's decision (Photo: AP)

Opposition Leader Jeremy Corbyn slammed the move and said if Mr Johnson had confidence in his plans, he should call a general election.

"I am appalled at the recklessness of Johnson's Government, which talks about sovereignty and yet is seeking to suspend Parliament to avoid scrutiny of its plans for a reckless no-deal Brexit," Mr Corbyn said in a statement.

"This is an outrage and a threat to our democracy."

The Government's plan caused the value of the pound to fall, losing nearly 1 per cent to both the Euro and US dollar since the news broke.

The pound fell to a six-day low on Wednesday, holding barely above $US1.22.

United States President Donald Trump offered his opinion on the plan, tweeting it would be difficult for the Labour leader to table a no-confidence vote because Mr Johnson "is exactly what the UK has been looking for".

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Shutting down Parliament a 'constitutional outrage'

Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, took a break from his family holiday to issue a statement saying he had not been consulted on the Government's plan.

The Speaker, who does not usually make statements on political announcements, said it was a "constitutional outrage".

"However it is dressed up, it is blindingly obvious that the purpose of prorogation now would be to stop Parliament debating Brexit and performing its duty in shaping a course for the country," Mr Bercow said.

"Shutting down Parliament would be an offence against the democratic process and the rights of Parliamentarians as the people's elected representatives.

"Surely at this early stage in his premiership, the Prime Minister should be seeking to establish rather than undermine his democratic credentials and indeed his commitment to parliamentary democracy."

Former chancellor Phillip Hammond, who quit the Cabinet before Mr Johnson became prime minister, said the move was "profoundly undemocratic".

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Labour MP Clive Lewis said if Mr Johnson shut down Parliament, he and others would "defend democracy".

"The police will have to remove us from the chamber. We will call on people to take to the streets," Mr Lewis said in a tweet.

"We will call an extraordinary session of Parliament."

Mr Johnson did find support for the suspension of Parliament from one ally — Democratic Unionist Party leader Arlene Foster.

The DUP is Northern Ireland's largest political party and it is their backing of the Conservatives that gives Mr Johnson a parliamentary majority.

But Ms Foster said the move would require a review of the two parties' confidence and supply deal.

"This will be an opportunity to ensure our priorities align with those of the Government," she said.

"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."

PM could face no-confidence vote

Conservative MP Dominic Grieve, the former attorney-general, said MPs were more likely to bring on a no-confidence vote in Mr Johnson in the wake of the move.

Mr Grieve said it made it more difficult for Tory rebels like himself to give confidence to the Government.

He said the move to suspend Parliament was an attempt to govern without Parliament and that the Parliament could move quickly to a vote of no confidence.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted it appeared Mr Johnson was trying 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," Ms Sturgeon said.

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Legal campaigner Gina Miller, who in 2017 successfully challenged the Government over its authority to leave the EU without a vote in Parliament, said she would ask the courts to block Mr Johnson's decision to suspend Parliament.

Ms Miller said she would seek an urgent judicial review before September 9, the earliest date a suspension could come into effect.

"It cannot be legitimate or a proper use of the prerogative power to prorogue Parliament when the intention and effect inherent in doing so is to frustrate Parliament and fetter it from exercising its sovereign right," she said in a statement.

Corbyn asks to see the Queen

Mr Corbyn has asked to meet Queen Elizabeth to raise his concerns about Mr Johnson's plans to suspend Parliament for longer than normal before Brexit, the Guardian newspaper said.

"Understand Jeremy Corbyn has written to the Queen, expressing concern about Boris Johnson's announcement that he's proroguing Parliament, and requesting a meeting with her," Guardian political editor Heather Stewart wrote on Twitter.

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Mr Corbyn said Mr Johnson needed to be held accountable.

"He needs to be held to account by Parliament — not by shutting down Parliament but by attending Parliament and answering the questions," he said.

"Suspending Parliament is not acceptable, it's not on. What the Prime Minister's doing is a sort of smash and grab on our democracy in order to force through a no-deal exit from the European Union.

"He seems to want to run head-long into the arms of Donald Trump.

"When Parliament does meet on his timetable very briefly next week, the first thing we'll do is attempt legislation to prevent what he's doing and secondly we'll challenge him in a motion of confidence at some point."

Ireland's Finance Minister, when asked if a no-deal Brexit was now inevitable, said many things could happen between now and October.

He said developments in London would not lead Ireland to change its position on the backstop — an insurance policy to ensure no return to a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland.