Downing Street confirms Parliament will be suspended from end of today until mid-October

Downing Street has confirmed that Boris Johnson will suspend Parliament from the close of business today until 14 October.



A spokesperson for the Prime Minister said prorogation would kick in after MPs vote on the latest bid to call a snap election.

An announcement will then be made in the Lords on behalf of the Queen, which would be attended by Speaker John Bercow and some MPs.

Mr Bercow will then return to the Commons to repeat the statement, before Parliament is officially “prorogued”.

MPs will reconvene in five weeks' time for the Queen's Speech, in which the Government will set out its legislative agenda.

Mr Johnson’s decision to insigate the longest suspension of Parliament in modern history has been heavily criticised, with his opponents claiming it was aimed at preventing MPs from blocking a no-deal Brexit on 31 October.

However, a rebel bill forcing the Prime Minister to seek an extension to the Article 50 process will become law when it receives Royal Assent on Monday.

The PM's spokesman insisted while ministers would obey the law, Mr Johnson would not be requesting another extension of the withdrawal process.

He said: "The Prime Minister is not going to seek an extension. If MPs want to resolve this there is an easy way – vote for an election today and let the public decide."

The shutdown means that the Prime Minister cannot mount another attempt to force a snap general election ahead of the Brexit deadline if the Commons votes down his proposal to do so later this evening.

Opposition MPs are expected to refuse to back the call for a poll, having insisted that a no-deal Brexit must be ruled out as an option first.