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The queen acceded to the request, as is customary.

In an official statement, the Privy Council confirmed that the queen had agreed to prorogue – or suspend – Parliament no sooner than Sept. 9 and no later than Sept. 12. Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the House of Commons, Natalie Evans, the leader of the House of Lords, and Mark Spencer, the chief whip, were at Balmoral to make the request.

Absent a delay, Britain will leave the European Union on Oct. 31.

Johnson denied claims that Brexit is the reason he sought the new timetable, telling reporters he wants a new session of Parliament so he can lay out the government’s “very exciting agenda.”

Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP

He added that there would be “ample time” for Parliament to debate Brexit.

The move to prorogue Parliament at this crucial time in the Brexit process angered even some lawmakers in the governing Conservative Party.

A petition launched on the British Parliament website calling for the government not to suspend the body quickly exceeded 100,000 signatures, the number needed for it to be considered for a parliamentary debate. The latest tally was 377,000, and it was rocketing skyward, although any such debate would not lead to legislative action.

Proroguing Parliament is not unheard of – it happens most years. But the five-week gap this time is unusually long. In 2017, Parliament was prorogued for six days; in 2016, for five days; in 2015, for three days. Moreover, doing it in the weeks ahead of Brexit dramatically shortens the timetable for lawmakers to pass any other kind of legislation, such as a law that could prevent a no-deal Brexit.