Boris Johnson is making waves today in Britain as he just got the Queen to agree to suspend parliament for the sake of Brexit:

USA TODAY – Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II approved a request Wednesday by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to suspend Parliament, a constitutionally unusual move that makes it easier for Johnson to force through the country’s departure from the European Union.

It means British parliamentarians, determined to stop the nation leaving the EU without a formal exit deal, will have little time to do so just weeks ahead of a Brexit deadline on Oct. 31. Johnson requested the Queen “prorogue” Parliament — shut it down, essentially — on Sept. 10, a week after lawmakers return from a summer recess.

Britain’s monarch rarely intervenes directly in politicized affairs of state and it would be exceptionally rare for her to defy the prime minister’s request. The British pound currency fell sharply on the news, recently down almost 1% against the dollar.

In a statement, Johnson said Parliament would re-start on Oct. 14, giving rebelling lawmakers only two weeks to find a way to thwart any “no-deal” Brexit. He also characterized the decision as less about Brexit and more about an attempt to “bring forward a new bold and ambitious legislative agenda” aimed at helping to boost funding to Britain’s state health care system, fighting crime and cutting living costs.

Johnson said there would be enough time for lawmakers to debate Brexit.

Britain’s Parliament is typically “prorogued” once a year for a short time, usually in April or May, to allow for any backlogged legislation to wend its way through the legislative body. But it’s not considered normal for it be suspended for other reasons. It’s not immediately clear if or how lawmakers can effectively oppose Johnson’s request. They may try to launch a no confidence vote or bring legal action.