John Bercow hits back at claims Parliament could be suspended for a no-deal Brexit: ‘Simply not going to happen’ ‘That is simply not going to happen. It’s is just so blindingly obvious that it almost doesn’t need to be stated, but apparently, it does’

Commons speaker John Bercow has hit back angrily at suggestions that Parliament could be suspended by a future Brexiteer Prime Minister who would then wait until a no-deal Brexit became a reality.

Dominic Raab refused to rule out proroguing Parliament, which would suspend the current session until beyond the 31 October, leaving MPs with no means to prevent a no-deal departure from the EU.

Read more The i politics newsletter cut through the noise Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription. How could a PM prorogue Parliament and when has it been used before

But the Speaker said that he would act to prevent a prorogation saying in the Commons: “As we all know, because I have said it several times and I think the honourable gentleman believes this, is that Parliament will not be evacuated from the centre stage of the decision making process on this important matter.

“That is simply not going to happen. It’s is just so blindingly obvious that it almost doesn’t need to be stated, but apparently, it does and therefore I have done.”

‘Bringing the Queen into a terrible conflict’

Prorogation, which would bring to an end nearly all Parliamentary business, is an act carried out by the Queen, but in practice, it is the Government’s decision.

It has been used by a number of monarchs in the past and was used by the Labour Government in 1948 during a showdown with the Lords.

Commons Leader Mel Stride, who is backing Michael Gove for the leadership, said: “I do think that Her Majesty should be kept out of the politics of our Parliament, and I am sure that will be a matter that will be at the forefront of those who toy with those decisions in the future.”

Parliamentary expert Hannah White, deputy director of the Institute for Government, said the move “would amount to a coup against Parliament and risk bringing the Queen into a terrible conflict”.

She added: “The implication of Raab’s refusal to rule out this strategy is that he thinks it would potentially be legitimate to suspend Parliament, not simply to let the Article 50 clock run down, but to prevent MPs from making a decision he knows they would want to take.

‘Extremely controversial’

“This would be extremely controversial, particularly in these circumstances because the Government does not have a majority.

“Asking the Queen to give effect to this strategy would draw her into a massive political debate – something which Number 10 and the Palace are normally at great pains to avoid.”

Dr White suggested that Buckingham Palace “would look for ways to limit the Queen being drawn into the process”, possibly by delaying long enough to allow Parliament the opportunity to prevent prorogation.

She said: “The effect of attempting to prorogue Parliament to pursue a no-deal policy to which it has thus far been firmly opposed would likely be to prompt an election. That may even be the intention.”

‘Not a serious policy’

Health Secretary Mr Hancock wrote to his rivals, saying: “To suspend Parliament explicitly to pursue a course of action against its wishes is not a serious policy of a Prime Minister in the 21st century.

“What kind of message would this send around the world about our values when so many have given so much for the rights of democratic freedom?”

Leadership contender Rory Stewart said proroguing Parliament would be “unlawful, undemocratic, and unachievable” and “the idea itself is profoundly offensive to our liberty, constitution and traditions”.

‘Naive to rule anything out’

Mr Raab’s stance became clear at a hustings organised by the One Nation group of centrist Tories on Wednesday. It has previously been touted by senior Brexiteer’s such a Jacob Rees-Mogg.

Nadhim Zahawi, a supporter of Mr Raab, said: “He said ‘I’m not going to rule anything out’. It would be naive to rule anything out. Parliament won’t rule anything out to frustrate Brexit. The Labour Party have been frustrating all the way along.

“What Dominic is saying is he will use every lever available as a Prime Minister with a disciplined cabinet to be able to do this.”

Additional reporting by Press Association.