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Boris Johnson's request to prorogue Parliament has been approved by the Queen.

The Prime Minister asked to temporarily close down the Commons from the second week of September until October 14, when there will be a Queen's Speech to open a new session of Parliament.

He spoke to the Queen on Wednesday morning and a Privy Council meeting was held at Balmoral to sign off Mr Johnson's plan.

Parliament is now to be suspended no earlier than September 9 and no later than September 12, to resume with a Queen's Speech on October 14.

Sources said Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg, who is Lord President of the Council, Lords Leader Baroness Evans and Chief Whip Mark Spencer attended the meeting with the Queen.

The move from the PM has sparked outrage and opposition leaders have written to the monarch in protest, while hundreds of thousands of people signed a petition against the move.

Commons Speaker John Bercow said the plan was a "constitutional outrage" designed to stop Parliament debating Brexit.

However, the Prime Minister called it "completely untrue" to suggest Brexit was the reason for his decision, insisting he needs a Queen's Speech to set out a "very exciting agenda" of domestic policy.

"There will be ample time on both sides of that crucial October 17 summit, ample time in Parliament for MPs to debate the EU, to debate Brexit, and all the other issues," Mr Johnson said.

The Commons was expected to sit in the first two weeks of September and then break for the conference recess - although MPs had been planning to vote against leaving Westminster for the autumn party gatherings in late September and early October to allow more time to consider Brexit.

Mr Johnson's move will now ensure that the Commons is not sitting during the period and MPs will return on the day of the Queen's Speech.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson - In pictures 53 show all Prime Minister Boris Johnson - In pictures 1/53 Boris Johnson back in Downing Street today after recovering from Coronavirus Jeremy Selwyn 2/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds enter Downing Street as the Conservatives celebrate a sweeping election victory Jeremy Selwyn 3/53 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes newly elected leader of the Conservative party Boris Johnson PA 4/53 Britain's New Prime Minister Boris Johnson is welcomed into 10 Downing Street by staff AP 5/53 Boris Johnson delivering his first speech as PM from outside No10 AFP/Getty Images 6/53 New Prime Minister Boris Johnson's girlfriend Carrie Symonds outside No10 Getty Images 7/53 Boris Johnson waves as he enters No10 Reuters 8/53 Boris Johnson's girlfriend Carrie Symonds at No10 today as he assumes the post of Prime Minister Getty Images 9/53 Mr Johnson walks along Downing Street to address the nation Reuters 10/53 Boris Johnson arrives at Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen PA 11/53 Mr Johnson was overwhelmingly backed to lead the Conservative Party PA 12/53 Britain's New Prime Minister Boris Johnson is welcomed into 10 Downing Street by staff AP 13/53 Boris vowed to serve the people as he took office AP 14/53 Britain's New Prime Minister Boris Johnson enters No10 AP 15/53 He is due to announce who will form his government later today AP 16/53 Boris Johnson waves to the crowd after being appointed Prime Minister Jeremy Selwyn 17/53 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes newly elected leader of the Conservative party Boris Johnson during an audience in Buckingham Palace PA 18/53 Boris Johnson waves as he leaves Buckingham Palace PA 19/53 Boris Johnson is driven into Buckingham Palace Reuters 20/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson talks with ambulance crews during a visit to Pilgrim Hospital in Boston, northeast England AFP/Getty Images 21/53 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (R) meets with King Abdullah II of Jordan (L) at 10 Downing Street EPA 22/53 UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland and HMP Leeds governor Steve Robson are shown a torso and body scanner by a member of prison staff during a visit to Leeds prison Getty Images 23/53 Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks next to Youth Justice Board Adviser Roy Sefa-Attakora during a roundtable on the criminal justice system Reuters 24/53 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel attend a joint press conference following Johnson's arrival at the Chancellery on August 21, 2019 in Berlin, Germany Getty Images 25/53 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (C) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) attend a guard of honor upon Johnson's arrival at the Chancellery on August 21, 2019 in Berlin, Germany Getty Images 26/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson takes questions from school children at Downing Street Jeremy Selwyn 27/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson attends a roundtable at Downing Street in London, Britain, September 19 Reuters 28/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson adresses Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani during their meeting at Downing Street in London, Britain September 20 Reuters 29/53 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson walks from 10 Downing Street to welcome the Emir of Qatar Getty Images 30/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks at the House of Commons Reuters 31/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a Cabinet meeting in Downing Street, London PA 32/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he leaves his official residence in London's Downing Street ahead of an audience with Queen Elizabeth II and the formal start of the General ElectioN Getty Images 33/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson prepares a pie at the Red Olive catering company while on the campaign trail, in Derby AP 34/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrives at Cardiff airport ahead of a visit to IG Design Group in Hengoed, on the last day of General Election campaigning PA 35/53 The Queen's Equerry, Major Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah (right), watches as Boris Johnson leaves Buckingham Palace PA 36/53 Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson is greeted by staff as he returns to 10 Downing Street, London, after meeting the Queen at Buckingham Palace and accepting her invitation to form a new government AP 37/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson poses with newly-elected Conservative MPs at the Houses of Parliament Reuters 38/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits the Pavegen stand, a company that converts footsteps into energy, at the Innovation Zone during the UK-Africa Investment Summit at the Intercontinental Hotel London PA 39/53 Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as they attend the UK-Africa Investment Summit at the Intercontinental Hotel London PA 40/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson reacts as he prepares to paint the eyes on Chinese Lions, as he hosts a Chinese New Year reception at 10 Downing Street AFP via Getty Images 41/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks flanked by his new Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak (4th R) following a reshuffle at Downing Street Getty Images 42/53 Boris Johnson visits the Mologic Laboratory in the Bedford Technology Park Reuters 43/53 Boris Johnson addresses the nation on Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons 44/53 Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak applaud outside 10 Downing Street during the Clap for our carers campaign in support of the NHS London 45/53 Boris Johnson speaks to the Queen on the telephone for her weekly audience amid the coronavirus crisis PA 46/53 Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson participating in a video conference call with other G20 leaders in the study of 10 Downing Street 10 Downing Street/AFP via Getty 47/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson announcing he has tested positive for Coronavirus 48/53 AP 49/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson gives a statement in Downing Street in central London on April 27, 2020 after returning to work following more than three weeks off after being hospitalised with the COVID-19 illness Jeremy Selwyn 50/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson (R) and his fiancee Carrie Symonds participate in a national "clap for carers" to show thanks for the work of Britain's NHS (National Health Service) workers and other frontline medical staff around the country as they battle with the novel coronavirus pandemic, in the doorway of 10 Downing Street 10 Downing Street/AFP via Getty 51/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson, sporting a new haircut, during a visit to the Siemens Rail factory construction site in Goole PA 52/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson, wearing a face mask or covering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, visits the headquarters of the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust Getty Images 53/53 The Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds with their son Wilfred in the study of No. 10 Downing Street speaking via zoom to the midwifes that helped deliver their son at the UCLH. Andrew Parsons/No10 Downing St 1/53 Boris Johnson back in Downing Street today after recovering from Coronavirus Jeremy Selwyn 2/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds enter Downing Street as the Conservatives celebrate a sweeping election victory Jeremy Selwyn 3/53 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes newly elected leader of the Conservative party Boris Johnson PA 4/53 Britain's New Prime Minister Boris Johnson is welcomed into 10 Downing Street by staff AP 5/53 Boris Johnson delivering his first speech as PM from outside No10 AFP/Getty Images 6/53 New Prime Minister Boris Johnson's girlfriend Carrie Symonds outside No10 Getty Images 7/53 Boris Johnson waves as he enters No10 Reuters 8/53 Boris Johnson's girlfriend Carrie Symonds at No10 today as he assumes the post of Prime Minister Getty Images 9/53 Mr Johnson walks along Downing Street to address the nation Reuters 10/53 Boris Johnson arrives at Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen PA 11/53 Mr Johnson was overwhelmingly backed to lead the Conservative Party PA 12/53 Britain's New Prime Minister Boris Johnson is welcomed into 10 Downing Street by staff AP 13/53 Boris vowed to serve the people as he took office AP 14/53 Britain's New Prime Minister Boris Johnson enters No10 AP 15/53 He is due to announce who will form his government later today AP 16/53 Boris Johnson waves to the crowd after being appointed Prime Minister Jeremy Selwyn 17/53 Queen Elizabeth II welcomes newly elected leader of the Conservative party Boris Johnson during an audience in Buckingham Palace PA 18/53 Boris Johnson waves as he leaves Buckingham Palace PA 19/53 Boris Johnson is driven into Buckingham Palace Reuters 20/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson talks with ambulance crews during a visit to Pilgrim Hospital in Boston, northeast England AFP/Getty Images 21/53 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (R) meets with King Abdullah II of Jordan (L) at 10 Downing Street EPA 22/53 UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland and HMP Leeds governor Steve Robson are shown a torso and body scanner by a member of prison staff during a visit to Leeds prison Getty Images 23/53 Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks next to Youth Justice Board Adviser Roy Sefa-Attakora during a roundtable on the criminal justice system Reuters 24/53 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel attend a joint press conference following Johnson's arrival at the Chancellery on August 21, 2019 in Berlin, Germany Getty Images 25/53 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (C) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) attend a guard of honor upon Johnson's arrival at the Chancellery on August 21, 2019 in Berlin, Germany Getty Images 26/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson takes questions from school children at Downing Street Jeremy Selwyn 27/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson attends a roundtable at Downing Street in London, Britain, September 19 Reuters 28/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson adresses Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani during their meeting at Downing Street in London, Britain September 20 Reuters 29/53 British Prime Minister Boris Johnson walks from 10 Downing Street to welcome the Emir of Qatar Getty Images 30/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks at the House of Commons Reuters 31/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson holds a Cabinet meeting in Downing Street, London PA 32/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson as he leaves his official residence in London's Downing Street ahead of an audience with Queen Elizabeth II and the formal start of the General ElectioN Getty Images 33/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson prepares a pie at the Red Olive catering company while on the campaign trail, in Derby AP 34/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson arrives at Cardiff airport ahead of a visit to IG Design Group in Hengoed, on the last day of General Election campaigning PA 35/53 The Queen's Equerry, Major Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah (right), watches as Boris Johnson leaves Buckingham Palace PA 36/53 Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson is greeted by staff as he returns to 10 Downing Street, London, after meeting the Queen at Buckingham Palace and accepting her invitation to form a new government AP 37/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson poses with newly-elected Conservative MPs at the Houses of Parliament Reuters 38/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits the Pavegen stand, a company that converts footsteps into energy, at the Innovation Zone during the UK-Africa Investment Summit at the Intercontinental Hotel London PA 39/53 Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, as they attend the UK-Africa Investment Summit at the Intercontinental Hotel London PA 40/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson reacts as he prepares to paint the eyes on Chinese Lions, as he hosts a Chinese New Year reception at 10 Downing Street AFP via Getty Images 41/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson speaks flanked by his new Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak (4th R) following a reshuffle at Downing Street Getty Images 42/53 Boris Johnson visits the Mologic Laboratory in the Bedford Technology Park Reuters 43/53 Boris Johnson addresses the nation on Coronavirus lockdown Andrew Parsons 44/53 Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak applaud outside 10 Downing Street during the Clap for our carers campaign in support of the NHS London 45/53 Boris Johnson speaks to the Queen on the telephone for her weekly audience amid the coronavirus crisis PA 46/53 Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson participating in a video conference call with other G20 leaders in the study of 10 Downing Street 10 Downing Street/AFP via Getty 47/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson announcing he has tested positive for Coronavirus 48/53 AP 49/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson gives a statement in Downing Street in central London on April 27, 2020 after returning to work following more than three weeks off after being hospitalised with the COVID-19 illness Jeremy Selwyn 50/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson (R) and his fiancee Carrie Symonds participate in a national "clap for carers" to show thanks for the work of Britain's NHS (National Health Service) workers and other frontline medical staff around the country as they battle with the novel coronavirus pandemic, in the doorway of 10 Downing Street 10 Downing Street/AFP via Getty 51/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson, sporting a new haircut, during a visit to the Siemens Rail factory construction site in Goole PA 52/53 Prime Minister Boris Johnson, wearing a face mask or covering due to the COVID-19 pandemic, visits the headquarters of the London Ambulance Service NHS Trust Getty Images 53/53 The Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds with their son Wilfred in the study of No. 10 Downing Street speaking via zoom to the midwifes that helped deliver their son at the UCLH. Andrew Parsons/No10 Downing St

Mr Bercow led a barrage of withering criticism of the Prime Minister, claiming he was committing an “offence against the democratic process”.

He added: “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.

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

Former Chancellor Philip Hammond stressed it would be a “constitutional outrage if Parliament” were prevented from holding the Government to account “at a time of national crisis”.

Rebel Tory leader Dominic Grieve also tore into the Prime Minister for “playing an extremely dirty game”.

He told Sky News: “This is tantamount to a coup really against Parliament... I’m fairly confident that he will not find it easy to get his way.”

Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said in a letter to the monarch on Wednesday he "protested in the strongest possible terms on behalf of my party".

He added: "I believe all the other opposition parties are going to join in with this."

Former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas has wrote to the PM, urging him to reconsider his decision.

"Your utter disregard for basic democratic standards, the sovereignty of Parliament and the rights of voters to representation is deeply insulting to - and worrying for - every UK resident," the MP wrote to the Prime Minister.

"Your duty as Prime Minister is to bring people back together and find ways forward that can re-unite our country, yet you have chosen a very different path."

Meanwhile, a petition demanding that moves to suspend Parliament are halted had more than 850,000 signatures.

Hitting 100,000 meant it will be considered for debate by MPs.

The petition, which was created by Mark Johnston on Parliament's website, states that Parliament should not be prorogued unless there is another extension of the Brexit deadline or the idea of leaving the European Union is scrapped altogether.

It says: "Parliament must not be prorogued or dissolved unless and until the Article 50 period has been sufficiently extended or the UK's intention to withdraw from the EU has been cancelled."

The pound plunged more than a cent against the dollar and almost a cent against the euro as news emerged of the planned shutdown of Parliament, fuelling fears of an EU crash-out, before recovering some ground.

Despite the backlash in many quarters, DUP leader Arlene Foster said she had spoken directly with Mr Johnson about his plans and he was "well within his rights" to suspend Parliament.

Mrs Foster said the Queen's Speech would also offer an opportunity to bring focus back to Northern Ireland, with the renewal of her party's confidence and supply deal with the Conservatives.

"I think the Prime Minister is well within his rights to look for a Queen's Speech - he wants to set out his domestic agenda," she said.

"It gives us the opportunity here in Northern Ireland, through ourselves, to bring a focus back to Northern Ireland again, particularly around the confidence and supply agreement, and I look forward to engaging with the Prime Minister over the coming weeks."

As news of the plan broke, US President Donald Trump reaffirmed his support for Mr Johnson by wading into debate over blocking a no-deal Brexit.

The US President insisted it would be “very hard" for Jeremy Corbyn to seek a no confidence vote" because Mr Johnson is "exactly what the UK has been looking for."

This came days after his meeting with Mr Johnson at the G7 summit, where he spoke warmly about the PM.

In the evening, there were protests against the move held in Parliament Square.

Thousands of people protested against plans to in London, Edinburgh and other cities within hours of it being announced.

The decision to suspend Parliament was also criticised as an "affront" to Britain's democracy by parliamentary experts.

Hansard Society director Dr Ruth Fox said: "The Government's decision to prorogue Parliament may not be unconstitutional or unlawful but it is an affront to parliamentary democracy.

"The Government's understandable desire to bring this long session to an end and outline a new legislative programme in a Queen's Speech could be met with a prorogation of one to two weeks' duration.

"Anything longer than this is both unnecessary and beyond the norm."