Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC Newsroom Live 20240714

The governments decision. What he is doing is he is suspending parliament when it should be sitting because he is determined to do something for which he has no mandate at all. Sterling has fallen in response to the announcement. It lost around a cent against both the us dollar and the euro, due to increased fears of a no deal brexit. Good morning. Welcome to bbc newsroom live. The queen is to be asked by the government to suspend Parliament Days after mps return to work, and a matter of weeks before the brexit deadline. Parliament will return from recess on the 3rd of september, and could be prorogued or suspended only a week later, on the 10th. Thats expected to make way for Boris Johnsons new administration to hold a queens speech laying out the governments future plans on m october. But it means mps are unlikely to have time to pass any laws that could stop the Prime Minister taking the uk out of the eu without a deal on 31 october. John bercow give his reaction in the last few minutes, branding them as a constitutional outrage, and saying it was blindingly obvious it was intended to stop mps debating brexit. But the Prime Minister insisted the plan would not stop mps playing a role in the Brexit Process. As i said on the steps of downing street, we are not going to wait until october 31 before getting on with our plans to take this country forward. And this is a new government with a very exciting agenda to make our streets safer, its very important we bring Violent Crime down, we need to invest in our fantastic nhs, we need to level up Education Funding across the country, we need to invest in the infrastructure that is going to take this country forward for decades. And we need to deal with the cost of living, moving to a high wage high productivity economy, which i think is what this country needs to be. And to do that, we need new legislation. Weve got to be bringing forward new and important bills, and that is why we are going to have a queens speech, and we are going to do it on october the 14th, and weve got to move ahead now with a new legislative programme. Prime minister, to do that queens speech, you will need to Prorogue Parliament for several days. Your critics will say this is an insult to democracy, denying the mps the time they need to debate and possibly vote on brexit. No, well, that is completely untrue. If you look at what were doing, we are bringing forward a new legislative programme on crime, on hospitals, and making sure we have the Education Funding we need. And there will be ample time on both sides of that crucial october 17 summit, ample time, in parliament for mp5 to debate the eu, to debate brexit, and all of the other issues. Ample time. Prime minister, you seem to have an ambitious domestic agenda. Your government does not have a majority. Even with the dup, it only barely has a majority. Should we take from this that you are planning a general election before the end of this year . No, what i want you to take from this, we are doing exactly what i said on the steps of downing street, which is we must get on now with our legislative domestic agenda. People will expect it, we need to get on with the stuff that Parliament Needs to approve, on tackling crime, on building the infrastructure we need, and technology, on levelling up our education, and reducing the cost of living. That is why we need a queens speech, and were going to get on with it. You may not even know by the 14th of october whether youre going to get a deal, and the outcome could be quite different whether you do or whether you dont. So what have you got to say to the public who might be concerned about the economic outcome . Well, we need to get on with our domestic agenda, that is why we are announcing a queens speech for october 14th. Lets just look in letsjust look in some lets just look in some more detail at the reaction from john bercow, the speaker, who of course has a really Important Role to play in what business takes place in parliament. He is describing this move by the government as a constitutional outrage. You see the tweet there from our Political Editor laura kuenssberg, reflecting whatjohn bercow editor laura kuenssberg, reflecting what john bercow is editor laura kuenssberg, reflecting whatjohn bercow is saying. He continues, however, however it is dressed up, it is that the purpose of prorogation now it would be to stop parliament debating brexit and its duty. So the tone of the reaction, much of the reaction to what the government is planning of that sort of nature, calling it a constitutional outrage. Lets go now to our Political Correspondent Jonathan Blake in westminster. Good morning, jonathan. Boris johnson is saying this is all about the government bringing forward its new programme of domestic laws, but john bercow, among others, people who do not want a no deal brexit, colin was a constitutional outrage. We are in for an almighty political battle, arent we . We certainly are, the government and the speaker at absolute loggerheads on a collision course. Clearly if you are in any doubt that this move by downing street to shorten the Time Available to mps who want to avoid a no deal brexit, and somehow force the government into getting an extension, perhaps, from brussels, if you are in any doubt it was winter because an almighty row, you only need to look at what the Commons Speakerjohn Bercow has said in response, as you say, calling it a constitutional outrage. Ill read you a little bit more of what he said in his statement, which we received in the last few minutes. Shutting down parliament would be an offence against the democratic process , offence against the democratic process, and the rights of parliamentarians as the peoples elected representatives. And he has a bit ofa elected representatives. And he has a bit of a dig at the Prime Minister as well, saying surely at this early stage in his premiership, the Prime Minister should be seeking to establish rather than undermine his democratic credentials and indeed his commitment to parliamentary democracy. John bercow is on holiday, as many mps are at the moment, and are due to come back to westminster on tuesday next week. When i think we will see action fairly swiftly, because if a labour, the lib dems, the snp and others in parliament who want to stop a no deal brexit, and some potentially stop brexit altogether, if they want to have any hope of using the now much shorter Time Available to them, they will have to act quickly, and i think it means that a vote of no confidence in the government is something that is much more likely thanit something that is much more likely than it was, becausejust something that is much more likely than it was, because just yesterday, we saw the opposition parties coming together, and it seemed from what they were saying after that meeting that the route of trying to introduce legislation in the house of commons to somehow force the government into action was a more likely route they were going to take. The vote of no confidence in the government are less likely, purely because it is not clear that Jeremy Corbyn would be able to win that vote necessarily, because summat would be deeply uneasy about him taking over, even temporarily. Should a set sum would be uneasy. That said, that it is now probably the most likely course of action by the most likely course of action by the opposition parties, but we will have to see what they come out and decide in the coming days before the house of commons sits again on tuesday. But the Immediate Reaction has been one of outrage from many corners, including former conservative mp and former attorney general, Dominic Grieve. I think the Prime Ministers decision is deeply questionable and frankly pretty outrageous. He knows very well we are in the middle of a national crisis, he knows very well that parliament is concerned about the possibility of a no deal brexit, and this has very little to do with starting a new session of parliament, it is a deliberate attempt to make sure parliament doesnt set for a five week period. Normally when we Prorogue Parliament, it is for about five or six days maximum between sessions, so six days maximum between sessions, sol six days maximum between sessions, so i think this is pretty unprecedented. Anger and outrage coming from many quarters this morning in response to what downing street has decided to do and what borisjohnson has said he will do to shorten the parliamentary term, and suspend parliament to introduce a queens speech. But what is not clear at the moment is exactly what any of those mps who are so angry about it will be able to do about it. Ok, jonathan, thank you very much. Jonathan, thank you very much. Jonathan blake there in westminster. Lets talk to the conservative mp Pauline Latham. Thank you forjoining us. What is your reaction to what the Prime Minister is going to do . M your reaction to what the Prime Minister is going to do . If he does decide to do it, there isnt any real certainty yet, if he does decide to do it, i think those people who are against it, like Dominic Grieve who has just been on, should really think about what they have done to try and stop brexit altogether. That is not what the country altogether. That is not what the cou ntry voted altogether. That is not what the country voted for, so i am very relaxed about borisjohnson doing what he needs to do to get brexit through. Thats what the country once, that is what the country voted for, and people like Dominic Grieve have really done their best to stop it in spite of the fact that it was a democratic vote in the whole country. And that goes if it is a no deal brexit as well . Country. And that goes if it is a Nodeal Brexit as well . Yes. We dont want a no deal brexit, clearly it would be much better to leave with a deal, and i think brussels is aware of that. They dont really wa nt aware of that. They dont really want is to leave without a deal. But theyve got to move very quickly now, and i think of borisjohnson can geta now, and i think of borisjohnson can get a deal, he will bring its department and vote on it. But the people against it needs to examine their consciences. Is this the reaction of a Prime Minister who really wa nts reaction of a Prime Minister who really wants to get a deal . Because of this action reduces the amount of time that mps who do not want a no deal brexit have to do something about it, it also reduces the time, surely, for the government to try to get a deal with the eu through parliament. Well, the government would like to get the deal through parliament, obviously. But then why suspend parliament when it reduces the amount of time the cove na nt has it reduces the amount of time the covenant has to get the deal through . We only need an hour to get a deal through and vote on it. Through . We only need an hour to get a deal through and vote on itm took theresa may an awful lot longer than that and she still didnt manage it. Yes, because the speaker allowed so many debates on brexit. Now we are coming to the crunch time, we are coming to the 31st of october, it is not long away, and what we need to do is get the deal through. We can do that in a very short space of time if brussels gives us a deal, and i hope they are going to. Do you have any concerns here about the constitutional aspects of this, in such an important issue, if parliament is suspended, that the Prime Minister is not allowing mps as much time as they might potentially have to have more discussions, more debates, more votes on the subject of brexit pinch macro my understanding is it was about a queens speech. Pinch macro my understanding is it was about a queens speechm pinch macro my understanding is it was about a queens speech. It has been the Longest Parliament for many yea rs, if been the Longest Parliament for many years, if not ever. The longest session we have ever had. And i think we do need a new queens speech, we have got a new Prime Minister, we want to see what his priorities to be for the country, and for us to vote in parliament on the queens speech. So i dont think it is just the queens speech. So i dont think it isjust a the queens speech. So i dont think it is just a prorogation of parliament for the deal, it is a prorogation of parliament for a queens speech, and i welcome that, because i would like to know what the conservative party is going to do for the country. Because we have had a change of Prime Minister, theresa may had her priorities, and borisjohnson has theresa may had her priorities, and Boris Johnson has got theresa may had her priorities, and borisjohnson has got different priorities, and he needs to know where we are going. 0k, thank you very much for your time this morning. Amongst the reaction to this news which is still coming in thick and fast as this from the former chancellor philip hammond, who is another mp calling this a constitutional outrage. As you just heard from brexit supporting mps, Pauline Latham saying this is actually about a queens speech and getting a new programme of Domestic Legislation through. Adam fleming is in brussels for us now. How is brussels feeling about this . Does it feel, as i asked pauline with a second ago, that of the Prime Minister was really serious about getting a deal with the eu, he is making things difficult for himself by suspending parliament . Talking to eu diplomats in the last few days, what theyve been saying is two things. Firstly, they have never really bought this idea that the confrontation to end all confrontations was going to take place in the first or second weeks of september. Or a few days after that, anyway, they thought that this was going to go to the end of october, and the opponents of the Prime Minister and parliament would keep fighting right until the last minute. So that is still the case. Opponents of the Prime Minister in parliament. There were also concerned there would not be time to implement any ratified deal between the eu and the uk in time for the sist the eu and the uk in time for the 31st of october, so that has not changed either. And from one senior eu source very close to the negotiations, they have said, whatever happens, the eu is never going to change its position because no deal became more credible or the opponents of no deal would get better organised. In other words, what the eu wants is concrete proposals from the uk that will break the deadlock on the backstop and the Withdrawal Agreement, and which will definitely get through parliament. So rather than the processes and the shenanigans and what is happening in parliament, now perhaps not happening in parliament asa perhaps not happening in parliament as a result of prorogation, what the eu wants as a negotiating position from the uk that will work and which will work in parliament. That is what they care about in the British Parliament, whether they can be a majority for the deal rather than the actual processes that are happening in parliament as time unfolds. So you do not see the eu wavering on this due to the extra pressure created by all of this if thatis pressure created by all of this if that is another intention of this action by Boris Johnson . That is another intention of this action by borisjohnson . What the eu wa nts to action by borisjohnson . What the eu wants to see is a majority for it Withdrawal Agreement getting through Parliament Rather than to see one side of the other, as in thejohnson side of the other, as in thejohnson side leading no ifs no buts on the sist side leading no ifs no buts on the 31st october, or the rebels, hang on thats article 50 and the brexit to date, one of those sides winning. Lets delay article 50. What they wa nt to lets delay article 50. What they want to see is a majority for a deal, and if it does not exist as heading into a no deal, something the eu says it is prepared for, but it wants to avoid. Adam, thank you for that reaction from brussels. Adam fleming there. We have some reaction it now from the leader of the brexit party, nigel farage. Nigel faraj also says it makes a general election more likely, and is seen as a general election more likely, and is seen as a positive move by brexiteers. You will have seen nigel fa raj announcing brexiteers. You will have seen nigel faraj announcing more than 500 prospective parliamentary candidates for the party yesterday in the event ofa for the party yesterday in the event of a general election. His tweet also says that the unanswered question is whether borisjohnson intends to proceed the Withdrawal Agreement. Something he referred to yesterday as well. Intends to pursue the Withdrawal Agreement. At another tweet now from the mp, clive lewis. Lets see if we can get that on the screen. Labour mp clive lewis. He says, if boris shuts down parliament to carry out his no deal brexit, i and other mps will defend democracy, the police will have to remove us democracy, the police will have to remove us from the chamber, we will people to take to the streets. We will call an extraordinary session of parliament. And then he uses the hashtag peoplesparliament. And another tweet for you, from the Scottish First minister Nicola Sturgeon, bring it on, she says. Have the courage of your convictions, borisjohnson. Using a phrase are scottish viewers may well be familiar with, are you frit . Our royal correspondentjohnny dymond is at Buckingham Palace. The queen is not there, she is on our summer break at bell model in scotland. But tell us what role the queen might have in all of this. Balmoral. Because the Prime Minister goes to the monitored and asked her to suspend parliament. As this discussion has gone on about the possibility of provoking parliament, the talk has gone on about the politicisation of the queens role. Should the central going in parliament. I dont think she has a difficult decision to make. It is very much established that the queen asks on the advice of her ministers, in particular her Prime Minister. And if our Prime Minister comes to her and says, would you please Prorogue Parliament, it has to be an extraordinarily good reason for it not to happen. It is almost unheard of in british history. It is unheard of in british history. It is unheard of in british history. It is unheard of in modern constitutional history. For the sovereign to turn down the request of the Prime Minister like that. The second reason is, our constitutional settlement is based on precedent. It is based on what has come before. The talk before was ofa has come before. The talk before was of a kind of extraordinary prorogation, and externally suspension of parliament that we had not seen before an extraordinary suspension. And there you could perhaps see discussions between Buckingham Palace and number ten, some pushback between those who advise the queen and those in power in number ten. But that is established precedent for provoking before the queens speech. Proroging. Albeit not for such a length of time or at such an extraordinary constitutional moment. The third reason is, the queen is a conservative woman who respects tradition and has stayed out of domestic politics. So for all of those reasons, i think you will see very clearly when Boris Johnson those reasons, i think you will see very clearly when borisjohnson goes to ask the queen to Prorogue Parliament, she will do it. Thank you very much for that, jonny. Our business presenter ben thompsonjoins me now. Ben, what impact is all this having on the markets and the pound . We know the markets do not like uncertainty, things feel very volatile right now. Yes, the markets are trying to work out what is going on and what will happen next. Two things to be aware of air, one is that the ftse 100 will see things to be aware of air, one is that the ftse100 will see start rising, and that is because as the pound falls in value, it makes the earnings that the companies in the ftse100 make it look much better. So it seems counterintuitive that the main 100 companies in the uk is going about the same time there is all this uncertainty. Where we will see the impact, as we already have today, as the pound falling against both the dollar and the euro. Down about 1. 4 against the dollar, about 196 about 1. 4 against the dollar, about 1 against the euro. And that is because that is so much uncertainty about whether there will or wont be about whether there will or wont be a deal. A lot of this will have been factored in already, and the markets we re factored in already, and the markets were gearing up for the idea of no deal, the impact that will have on business. But it is worth remembering to a lot of the businesses in the ftse100 are international, so we have exposure elsewhere, they are not so reliant on what happens to the uk economy. Looking at the ftse 250, that is when we start to see the real impact, that is following today. So you see the markets have been gearing up for the potential of a no deal scenario, but that is an added layer of uncertainty, because as you say, there are so many variables. Will there be a no confidence vote . Will there be a no confidence vote . Will there be a no confidence vote, will there be a general election, there are so many factors, so hard to figure out when that uncertainty might turn into some kind of certainty. Yes, it is that familiar tale, markets want certainty. I have spent so much of the last humans travelling around the country meeting individual businesses asking them what no deal would mean for them, what brexit would mean for them. The last few months. They are quite adamant theyjust want them. The last few months. They are quite adamant they just want to get on with this. They will cope with a deal, no deal, in come out, they have been through worse, they have coped with the financial crisis, all sorts of issues. So they are now saying let us just get on with this, and we will cope. There are two things here. One is of course we want to know what will happen, but they are more worried about things like immigration it may be tightening rules on immigration. Just this morning, we had a report suggesting that skills are good to bea suggesting that skills are good to be a real issue after brexit. Getting the right people for the rightjobs could getting the right people for the right jobs could have getting the right people for the rightjobs could have more of an impact on business do not necessarily trade deals for other countries. So that is on their mind, but also frankly they just want to get on with this, theyjust want to know what they might have to deal with, what they might have to change. Add in some cases, it is really simple, and in some cases, very boring. It is things like labelling, where your head offices, where your staff come from, so business on one hand is not too concerned about some of the detail we will be getting very caught up in over the next few hours and days, given what we have had this morning. But what they do want to know is, let us just get on with this. As i said, the ftse100, it seems louis counterintuitive, the 100 leading companies in the uk, the market is actually up, and that is because we have seen the change there in the pan versus the dollar and the pound versus the euro. It means that as the pound falls in value, the earning two ftse100 Companies Make it look better, so the market goes up. The ftse 250 is actually down by a similaramount as up. The ftse 250 is actually down by a similar amount as the dax there in frankfurt. So keep an eye on this, because they tell two different stories. But they are absolutely right, they want a bit of certainty for stop you are right. There it will be a while before we get those a nswe rs , will be a while before we get those answers, lets just get on with this. Thank you very much for that, ben. Lets get more on this from scott lucas, professor of International Politics at the university of birmingham. What do you make of what we have seen what do you make of what we have seenin what do you make of what we have seen in the last few extraordinary hours . We cannot say we did not see it coming. Ever since borisjohnson took power, along with top adviser dominic cummings, and the reshaped cabinet, they have been setting up for a no deal brexit. They were very confident that in march, parliament delayed a no deal brexit, and they we re delayed a no deal brexit, and they were not going to let this happen again. So the combination of the magic money tree statement, he was all the money for education, combined with the manoeuvres to prevent parliament blocking a no deal, they have been setting up for this. It isjust deal, they have been setting up for this. It is just that the hammer has fallen today. And lets be very clear. At least in my opinion, this isa clear. At least in my opinion, this is a constitutional crisis. It is the most serious political situation for britain since 1945, and it is going to be a showdown, not only about a no deal brexit, as significant as that is, but about the fundamental way that the British Government is run. Expand on that for us, if you would. You call it a constitutional crisis. Many politicians was reacting to rangers called it a constitutional outrage. What do you mean by that . Have called it a constitutional outrage. What i mean is you have a situation where the legislation shares power. It has a great deal of authority with the executive, led by the Prime Minister, but it does not have the authority in many peoples i is to simply try to get rid of a legislature and rule without check. Many peoples eyes. You might remember a guy named king charles the first. So the idea that parliament can effectively been shut down to take the most serious decision at this country has taken possibly since world war ii, that strikes out the whole heart of the idea that power is distributed across government. It is not held in the hands of the Prime Minister and a cabinet to do what they will. Do you feel that the government, in announcing that it wants to spend parliament, that it is putting paid to the idea that actually, you really wa nt to the idea that actually, you really want a deal . Not only is it squeezing the mps who are opposed to the government and who want to avoid a no deal brexit, but it is squeezing itself, the amount of time it has to try to get a deal if such a thing was to exist, with the eu. Again, best to be blunt. Boris johnson and his inner circle never wa nted johnson and his inner circle never wanted a deal. The whole reason borisjohnson put wanted a deal. The whole reason Boris Johnson put the ultimatum wanted a deal. The whole reason borisjohnson put the ultimatum in, which the no irish backstop is, he knew that was a spy that you would never accept. So everything has been set up to crash out on the 31st whatever the consequences are, and thatis whatever the consequences are, and that is the reason why this step has been planned. We knew about it a couple of weeks ago, that parliament would be suspended, and i might add, iam going would be suspended, and i might add, i am going to be very blunt about this, but when you hear the idea that this is normal, this is for a new government to put out a queens speech to talk about the nhs, education, police, that is being economical with the truth, as you say in this country, or as we say in my country, dont pee on my leg and tell me it is raining. So do you think borisjohnson tell me it is raining. So do you think Boris Johnson is, tell me it is raining. So do you think borisjohnson is, in the effort to meet the 31st of october deadline, he is going for broke here . But you were saying that identity might break the constitution with it. Yeah, in other words, when Boris Johnson constitution with it. Yeah, in other words, when borisjohnson became Prime Minister, again with advisers like dominic cummings, with his new cabinet ministers, with the support of nigel farage, the idea was that this time they would not be stopped from a no deal brexit are being stopped politically. Is this going beyond what people voted for back in that referendum . Beyond what people voted for back in that referendum . I dont member in 2016 that anybody was asked, are you supporting a leave under the conditions of a no deal brexit with absolutely no provisions for economic security, with no provisions for your relationship with the eu . And even if that had been asked, that is more than three yea rs been asked, that is more than three years ago, and we know that governments, even though they serve five year terms, quite often have to go back to the electorate within three years because, surprisingly, people do change their minds when they find out the reality of what might occur as they find out the reality of what might occurasa they find out the reality of what might occur as a result of, for example, leaving the eu after more than four years. Professor scott lucas, thank you very much for your time today. Liberal democrat mp tom brake joins us. Thank you for your time today. You are among those calling this a constitutional outrage, i believe. In fact, you have called it a declaration of war. Strong words, what are your intentions now . Ido i do think he has thrown down the gau ntlet i do think he has thrown down the ga u ntlet to i do think he has thrown down the gauntlet to parliament, i agree with everything your expert has just set in terms of this being something thatis in terms of this being something that is unprecedented. He is not clearing the deck to bring forward a government programme, he can do that without the queens speech, he doesnt need legislation to do that, he has done this for one reason only and that is to force through no deal. He is not making an attempt to get a new deal in the European Union, because the report we get back from the European Union says there is no contact going on there. So what parliamentarians who believe in blocking no deal, and there are a majority of us, now need to do is we need to the first day we are back, tuesday, we need to use the legislative motion or vehicle that we think is available to us to start blocking borisjohnsons attempt we think is available to us to start blocking Boris Johnsons attempt to ram through something that he has no mandate far. What do you say to those people who might be watching and he voted for brexit who say, you know, the liberal democrats and other mps have been trying to seize the vote of the european referendum and do away with that . Well, the liberal democrats have made it clear that we do not support brexit, we think it is highly damaging for the uk, and think it is highly damaging for the uk, and i think the evidence emerging is correct. We have always said that the only way that things could change in the country is on the back of a peoples vote, not parliament deciding, or the Prime Minister deciding what direction the country is going on, but everyone in the country having a say. I think thatis the country having a say. I think that is democratic. Has the country not already decided that direction in the referendum . I think is your constitutional expert just said, three years ago, no one was being told we would have no deal whatsoever. On the contrary, people remember very clearly Boris Johnson talking about bmws cycles and the reason why the germans and italians will want to carry on carrying on to get a good deal and easy deal and so on. That is what people had dangled in front of them three years ago. Now what Boris Johnson in front of them three years ago. Now what borisjohnson is offering them, according to operation yellowhammer, the Government Plus my own report, as fuel food and medicine shortages. That is the sort of thing we associate with wartime, not peacetime. We do not certainly inflict that sort of thing on ourselves. Do you think you and other mps opposed to an audio brexit are going to have to move swiftly now to no confidence vote because your preferred option, as we had from that meeting of mps yesterday, was to pursue a route where you take control of the legislative timetable. Would you have time to do that now, frankly . Well, emergency legislation can be passed and a couple of days. That happens in relation to terrorist organisations. It is possible to take legislation through quickly. Clearly, we are in active discussions as we speak about whether there is still time to do that. Certainly, iwould whether there is still time to do that. Certainly, i would expect on tuesday to see some steps taken to bring forward a legislative option. Thank you very much, the liberal democrat boss mike brexit spokesman. Lets go to belle moral where the queen is in residence. Go to scotland. What a contrast. We have this political storm and the queen is there in the peaceful surroundings, enjoying her summer break. Obviously very much part of this political conversation. Absolutely. It is very, very quiet here this morning. There is the usual handful of tourists here visiting the queens holiday home in scotland, keen to catch a glimpse of the castle through the gates behind me and perhaps even to catch a glimpse of the queen herself. There is obviously the queens summer break, she has been here sincejuly. Traditionally, it is a private home for her. She does carry out matters of state whilst here but it is a time for her to relax and enjoy the countryside here in royal deeside and to enjoy time with the family as well. We do know she has been visited by various members of the royalfamily, including visited by various members of the royal family, including in visited by various members of the royalfamily, including in the past week, the duke and duchess of cambridge, along with their children as well. Borisjohnson was due to make his traditional visit here in the next couple of weeks. As it turns out, and as we have been hearing today, an important meeting is expected to take place of cabinet ministers here. Excuse me. That meeting is expected to take place within the next few hours and the cabinet ministers will arrive and come through the gates that you can see behind me and they will visit the queen and asked the queen for permission to suspend parliament. We do not know who the ministers will be. Possibly Jacob Rees Mogg do not know who the ministers will be. PossiblyJacob Rees Mogg in his capacity of the privy council. To give an idea of how significant this is, they have been incidents in the past where cabinet ministers have visited here to be sworn in to the privy council. In recent times, this meeting here today will be far the most significant ministerial visit to happen here at balmoral. As a lots of activity happening now. It has been quite quiet with members of the public. We have seen some police ca rs the public. We have seen some police cars going past. We will keep you up to date when those ministers arrive. Rachel, thank you very much. Joining me now from westminster is jonathan barclay, the court leader of the green party. Good morning. When i spoke to you Party Colleague yesterday after the meeting she said there was absolute unanimity on the plan to try to take control of the legislative programme. Is that plan going to have to change in light of what has happened today . going to have to change in light of what has happened today . I think we are going to see a four way chess game. There is a legal challenge going on, parliament and executive and the people. I expect to see crowds behind me outside the mother of all parliaments protesting at what has happened. It is a cynical and cowardly move, a power grab by the Prime Minister. He is clearly rattled by the moves to stop something he has no mandate for, crash out brexit, worried about that, saying he is going to drive this thing through. That is clear what the agenda is. It is a cynical ploy. The speaker has come out and said clearly this is a constitutional outrage and wed be shouting loudly about this and this needs to be resisted. What would you say to people who voted for brexit and who say, well, the Prime Minister is trying to deliver what they voted for . No one voted for this. Your expertjust said five minutes ago this was not on the ballot paper in 2016, the crash out brexit was not there. We need a proper process of engagement of the people and that is why we are calling for a peoples vote. Any deal needs to go back to the people, there is no movement in brussels to see any different deal, tom breaks made that point clearlyjust now. What we need is proper engagement by the people and represented in parliament. We have mps there that their democratically, the system could be better, but that is their job, told the executive to account. When you get a Prime Minister acting more like a dictator and someone who is meant to be the centre of the mother of all parliaments, you have to be concerned indeed. People should be on the streets shouting loudly about this. This is a constitutional outrage. You are calling for the public to make their voices heard, what else are you planning to do in the green party to try and oppose this . There are petitions going, we will be pushing those petitions to make it clear how strongly people feel about this. The Prime Minister has no mandate to this, as Prime Minister elected by 0. 3 of the population. We are pushing very, very hard. In parliament, the limited time we have, i know Caroline Lucas will be working with other opposition parties to try and put an end to the threat of the sort of damocles that is heading over the whole of the country. We will be leading a legal challenge over the baroque of parliament. Lets be very, very clear, this is an issue that is bigger than brexit, this is a power grab and someone abusing the constitution. We do not have a defined constitution. Things are written, things are convention. This allows a lot of leeway for people in power to be essentially dictatorships, lord hailsham coined the phrase elected dictatorship. When there is power grabbing in this way, we need to be on the streets shouting loudly and that is what the green party will be encouraging people to do. Court leader of the green party, thank you very much for your time as well. We can get more on all of this now with a senior lecturer in law at Middlesex University in london. Weve had both sides of this argument talking today about how the law can back up their respective positions. Lets begin with the government, it believes it is able to suspend parliament because it would be followed by a queens speech. Do you think that is going to stand, given what Boris Johnsons opponents are saying . Very simply, what we have right now is the exercise of a prerogative power. The government is going to the queen and asking her to suspend parliament. In any other situation, absolutely this is entirely legal. What we are looking at now is something unprecedented. We are looking at the reasoning for why, looking at the reasoning for why, looking at the reasoning for why, looking at that question as to why now . It is very clear it is to achieve a no deal brexit. Quite simply, for anything other than a no deal brexit to happen, what we need is legislation in parliament, parliament to make a decision and ultimately go to the European Council or the heads of the Member States to get some decision. Now, if there is no parliament, no debate, that means there is no law, no direction, so we are looking at a situation in which no deal brexit will be inevitable. Sorry to interrupt, is it all about achieving 80 deal brexit, given there is going to bea 80 deal brexit, given there is going to be a queens speech with Domestic Legislation, in addition, potentially, leading to 80 deal brexit . I am not going to second the assumptions, or the critical motivations, i am just looking at a time. We are looking at time right now and we have until the 31st of october. I think what is going to be important is this going to be a council meeting, the heads of the Council States in the eu, in which big things can happen. If there is going to be a request of more time, an extension to article 50, that has to me made unanimously by the Member States. If we are looking at the legality of going to the queen, what we are also asking is for all the different institutions, the very foundation of the british constitution, to start questioning each others power. The question is going to be whether or not parliament can prevent this, through legislation, or whether or not the queen will be asked for probably the first time in hundreds of years to make a very, very huge political decision to site either with parliament to keep it open and debated and making law, or to follow what has been done for as long as we have had this power, to follow the advice of government to suspend parliament. Now, other options we are looking at, again on this question of legality, is going to be through the courts, asking the courts to make a very, very big decision, to be involved in this highly politicised and highly polarised debate between whether or not it is democratic or even constitutional for the government to suspend parliamentary debate, to suspend parliamentary debate, to suspend legislative power at this time. What would be the key arguments that those opposed to what borisjohnson is arguments that those opposed to what Boris Johnson is doing, arguments that those opposed to what borisjohnson is doing, what would be the key arguments, legal arguments, that they may bring to a court to try and stop this suspension . So, this is a legal question is very complicated because we might be looking at an interim orderfocusing on the parliamentary, sorry, on the governments advice. Something important to remember about all of this is the queens decision, the exercise of the queens power cannot be subject of judicial review, only the advice. The advice will focus on the legality of whether or not it is potentially democratic are unconstitutional. All the other unconsciousness collars are going to be looking at the idea of whether it could be irrational for be looking at the idea of whether it could be irrationalfor the Prime Minister to suspend parliament. But focusing probably mainly on the legality, whether or not it is democratic are constitutional in this situation. Unfortunately, we have lost. She may be back with us. Have lost. She may be back with us. Can you hear me . I can. Very sorry, we just lost you. Us. Can you hear me . I can. Very sorry, wejust lost you. You had said the exercise of the queens power cannot be subject to judicial review and then it cut out. In line with dramatic times, suddenly suspending debate. We will focus on legality, that legality has to focus on the advice of government. It cannot focus on the queens decision are power, only on the advice of government. Constitutional scholars like me are going to be looking at the heads of review, the grounds on which you can review legal advice. It is going to be legality are very unlikely to be irrationality. It is going to focus on the question of whether or not it is constitutional and democratic or can any of these foundational principles of the british constitution for us to suspend debate at this time in this place, and this larger context. Senior lecturer in law at Middlesex University, thank you very much for your expertise today. Well, of course, mps are not back to westminster until next week after the summer recess. And then, if Boris Johnsons plans come the summer recess. And then, if borisjohnsons plans come to fruition, they will not be there very much longer after that until parliament is suspended. As you have been hearing so far today, huge opposition to that idea. My colleague has just arrived opposition to that idea. My colleague hasjust arrived in opposition to that idea. My colleague has just arrived in the last chart while at westminster and we can hear more from herfor last chart while at westminster and we can hear more from her for now. Yes, parliament is not yet back, not returning until next tuesday 3rd of september. The atmosphere is fewer. There has been speculation about whether or not borisjohnson might Prorogue Parliament to thwart the mps who will not allow this country to leave the eu on the 31st of october without a deal. Yesterday i was picking to secure starmer saying he was concerned about the news that the government were taking advice on that. When the news broke this morning, it was a big surprise. Let a stocky through the key dates. The queen will be asked to suspend Parliament Just days after mps returned to work. The key dates are that parliament returns on the 3rd of september, next tuesday. It could be suspended just one week later on the 10th of september. That is expected to then be in order to make way for Boris Johnsons new administration to hold a queens speech, the process by which the governments planned for the future ilaid governments planned for the future i laid out. That would be happening on the 14th of october. It would mean therefore that mps would have very little time to pass any laws that could stop the Prime Minister taking the uk out of the eu without a deal on the 31st of october. The common speakerjohn has branded this a constitutional outrage, he says it was obvious it was to stop mps debating brexit. Nicola sturgeon has urged mps to come together to stop the suspension are today will go down as a dark day for uk democracy. Lets hear how borisjohnson announced the news a little earlier. As i said on the steps of downing street, we are not going to wait until october 31 before getting on with our plans to take this country forward. And this is a new government with a very exciting agenda to make our streets safer, its very important we bring Violent Crime down, we need to invest in our fantastic nhs, we need to level up Education Funding across the country, we need to invest in the infrastructure that is going to take this country forward for decades. And we need to deal with the cost of living, moving to a high wage high productivity economy, which i think is what this country needs to be. And to do that, we need new legislation. Weve got to be bringing forward new and important bills, and that is why we are going to have a queens speech, and we are going to do it on october the 14th, and weve got to move ahead now with a new legislative programme. Prime minister, to do that queens speech, you will need to Prorogue Parliament for several days. Your critics will say this is an insult to democracy, denying the mps the time they need to debate and possibly vote on brexit. No, well, that is completely untrue. If you look at what were doing, we are bringing forward a new legislative programme on crime, on hospitals, and making sure we have the Education Funding we need. And there will be ample time on both sides of that crucial october 17 summit, ample time, in parliament for mp5 to debate the eu, to debate brexit, and all of the other issues. Ample time. Prime minister, you seem to have an ambitious domestic agenda. Your government does not have a majority. Even with the dup, it only barely has a majority. Should we take from this that you are planning a general election before the end of this year . No, what i want you to take from this, we are doing exactly what i said on the steps of downing street, which is we must get on now with our legislative domestic agenda. People will expect it, we need to get on with the stuff that Parliament Needs to approve, on tackling crime, on building the infrastructure we need, on technology, on levelling up our education, and reducing the cost of living. That is why we need a queens speech, and were going to get on with it. You may not even know by the 14th of october whether youre going to get a deal, and the outlook could be quite different whether you do or whether you dont. So what have you got to say to the public who might be concerned about the economic outcome . Well, we need to get on with our domestic agenda, and thats why we are announcing a queens speech for october 14th. As we were hearing from Boris Johnson, the government position is this is perfectly legal because the suspension of parliament is to make way for the queens speech. Jeremy corbyn has just made a way for the queens speech. Jeremy corbyn hasjust made a comment. He says if borisjohnson has confidence in his plans, he should put them to a people in the general election are a people in the general election are a public vote. I will give you a flavour of the other reaction that has been coming in. Thejournalist tom harwood says it is very good news, it is what brexiteers up and down the country have been hoping for. We have a Prime Minister who is on our side and willing to take on the Prime Minister is wanting to frustrate the will of the people. Another says the move is undemocratic. This is from the party ofa man undemocratic. This is from the party of a man his set is all about bringing back control and sovereignty to the parliament on the first thing he does as Prime Minister is to ask for parliament to be suspended. The leader of the lib dems are said, by suspending parliament to threw in audio, Boris Johnson and the government would remove the voice of the people. It isa remove the voice of the people. It is a dangerous and unacceptable course of action which the liberal democrats will strongly oppose. I can bring in the mp chris leslie who is just joining can bring in the mp chris leslie who isjustjoining us. Would you like to come in . Welcome. We have a microphone here. Letsjust go to come in . Welcome. We have a microphone here. Lets just go for it. Formerly labour mp. Now change uk mp. What is your reaction to this . This is quite a staggering intervention by a Prime Minister sending his ministers up to scotland to knock on the queens door and ask her to sign to knock on the queens door and ask herto sign an to knock on the queens door and ask her to sign an order to suspend parliament for a month from the middle of september until the middle of october. He is doing that because he knew mps were wanting to set all the way through to the 31st of october to make sure we did not crash out with no deal. In the knowledge that mps were going to sit all the way through that season, this is the kind he is choosing to play. It is quite outrageous and an abuse of the executive powers, i think, and out of order to drag the monarch into politics in this way. Is there anything you can do about it . The bulk now comes back to the legislative court. This boils down to who is superior, the executive or the legislature . Fortunately for us, i think the legislature . Fortunately for us, ithink in the legislature . Fortunately for us, i think in a parliamentary democracy, the legislature can take action. Less time to do it and, eight days we are allowed to sit in the beginning of september. I think this action will provoke a majority of mps to say, hang on, we are going to fast track legislation, we have to fast track legislation, we have to stop this. What with the mechanism be to do that . On the day we get back, you can apply to the speakerfor some time we get back, you can apply to the speaker for some time on the order paper. The speaker says he is unhappy about this. Can you assume he will give you that time . |j unhappy about this. Can you assume he will give you that time . I think it will be fairly likely that the speaker is going to grant backbenchers time to speak about this. We can amend the legislation. I think whether we legislate to get rid of this suspension idea or two at legislate to set all the way through. Is that possible . Yes, of course it is. If the commons passes a bill by majority and health of large does the same, that is the way the rules of our country is written. And the house of lords does the same. Surely, we can overrule the executive. I think we are going to have to do this in this case. What about the vote of no confidence . That is always an option. Personally i think that should be the final option. The difficulty with the vote of no confidence, if you cannot find an alternative administration, Parliament Resolves in 14 days. Dissolves in 14 days. Then you would be in the same situation and boris can crash out in the way he wishes. My can crash out in the way he wishes. My view is to keep legislating, keep mps active in this place all the way through until the 31st of october. Thank you very much. It is a situation that is keeping us on our toes. It comes down to political parliamentary process. I will hand you back to anita for now. Thank you very much. Let me recap the reaction from Jeremy Corbyn. He is saying if borisjohnson has from Jeremy Corbyn. He is saying if Boris Johnson has confidence from Jeremy Corbyn. He is saying if borisjohnson has confidence in his plans, he should put them to the people and a general election are a public vote. The court leader of the green party has reacted core leader, saying this is a cynical power grab by Boris Johnson. Leader, saying this is a cynical power grab by borisjohnson. He says borisjohnson is acting more like a dictator than the leader of the mother of all parliaments. We have had support from the likes of conservative mps who are saying this is not stopping no deal brexit, if they wanted to do that, they would have had to suspend parliament until october the 31st. We are going to pause our coverage of the Political Developments and check out the Weather Forecast now with simon king. Hello, simon. It is chris here today. As far as the weather goes, outbreaks of rain fishing eastwards. A lot of cloud. It is not the end of it for the next couple of days, more cloud bringing cloud into the west tomorrow. This is coming our way for friday. A continuation of the u nsettled friday. A continuation of the unsettled theme. The heaviest rain is coming across wales at the moment and will spread across the West Midlands and Northern England as well. Another area of rain that pushes north eastward across scotland. The driest and sunniest weather in Northern Ireland. Passing showers here. Temperatures for most of us between 18 and 20 celsius. Brighter in east anglia. Brighter spells coming through. Tonight, later in the night, showers return to western areas. Longer spells of rainfor to western areas. Longer spells of rain for Northern Ireland and west of scotla nd rain for Northern Ireland and west of scotland to the end of the night. This next area of rain will be accompanied by brisk winds. 40 or 50 mph blowing into Northern Ireland and been pushed into scotland. Across wales, the wins will be stronger than today. Son sunshine, more sunshine than today. In the sunshine, not feeling bad. 24 celsius. A windy day across these areas. Lets take a look at the Weather Forecast for thursday and friday. The rain is going to turn heavy through the north and west of the country. A yellow weather warning from the met office. In scotla nd warning from the met office. In scotland the event will be heavy and prolonged. Localised surface water Flooding Issues here. It is a dry day in the east. Warmer still, with temperatures up to 25 celsius. Getting cooler across the far north west of scotland. That is a hint of what we have got to come through the weekend. This front sweeps its way eastwards and the wind changed to a north westerly direction and angle of the temperatures. Saturday starts off like this, heavy rain band moves into the south east, it will weaken. Not a huge amount of rain for here. The temperatures are dropping. In scotla nd the temperatures are dropping. In scotland and Northern Ireland, highs of 16 celsius. Temperatures into the 20 across eastern england. The cooler air across sunday. The temperatures will drop over the next few days, but spells of rain as well. An unsettled weather pattern. That is your weather. Goodbye for now. This is bbc news. Im Joanna Gosling live in westminster. The headlines at midday the government is to suspend parliament ahead of a queens speech on october 14th which could deny mps the time to try to stop a no deal brexit. The Prime Minister insists that the plan would not prevent mps playing their role in the Brexit Process. We are bringing forward a new legislative programme on crime, hospitals, and making sure that we have the education and funding that we need. And there will be ample time on both sides of that crucial october the 17th summit, ample time, in parliament for mp5 to debate. The idea of shutting down parliament known as prorogation has caused controversy. The Commons Speaker brands it a constitutional outrage as mps from all sides condemn the governments decision. What he is doing is hes suspending parliament when it should be sitting because he is determined to do something for which he has no mandate at all. When you get someone, a Prime Minister acting more like a dictator than someone who is supposed to be at the centre of the mother of all parliaments, i think youve got to be very concerned indeed. I think people should be on the streets shouting loudly about this. This is a constitutional outrage. Sterling has fallen in response to the announcement. It lost around a cent against both the us dollar and the euro, due to increased fears of a no deal brexit. Good afternoon. Parliament is not currently sitting, not due to return until next week after the summer break. But we are hearing that the queen is going to be asked to suspend parliament almost as soon as it has started up again, just a week of parliamentary time it before its expected in people there will then go on another brick pending a queens speech. Another break. Parliament will return from recess on the 3rd of september, and could be prorogued or suspended only a week later, on the 10th. Thats expected to make way for Boris Johnsons new administration to hold a queens speech laying out the governments future plans on 14 october. But it means mps are unlikely to have time to pass any laws that could stop the Prime Minister taking the uk out of the eu without a deal on 31 october. Commons Speakerjohn Bercow had branded the move a constitutional outrage, saying it was blindingly obvious it was intended to stop mps debating brexit. Scotlands first minister Nicola Strugeon urged mps to come together to stop the prorogation or today would go down as a dark day for uk democracy. Jeremy corbyn has said, if Boris Johnson has confidence in his plans, he should put them to the british people in a general election or a public vote. But the Prime Minister insisted the plan wouldnt stop mps playing a role in the Brexit Process. As i said on the steps of downing street, we are not going to wait until october 31 before getting on with our plans to take this country forward. And this is a new government with a very exciting agenda to make our streets safer, its very important we bring Violent Crime down, we need to invest in our fantastic nhs, we need to level up Education Funding across the country, we need to invest in the infrastructure that is going to take this country forward for decades. And we need to deal with the cost of living, moving to a high wage high productivity economy, which i think is what this country needs to be. And to do that, we need new legislation. Weve got to be bringing forward new and important bills, and that is why we are going to have a queens speech, and we are going to do it on october the 14th, and weve got to move ahead now with a new legislative programme. Prime minister, to do that queens speech, you will need to Prorogue Parliament for several days. Your critics will say this is an insult to democracy, denying the mps the time they need to debate and possibly vote on brexit. No, well, that is completely untrue. If you look at what were doing, we are bringing forward a new legislative programme on crime, on hospitals, and making sure we have the Education Funding we need. And there will be ample time on both sides of that crucial october 17 summit, ample time, in parliament for mp5 to debate the eu, to debate brexit, and all of the other issues. Ample time. Prime minister, you seem to have an ambitious domestic agenda. Your government does not have a majority. Even with the dup, it only barely has a majority. Should we take from this that you are planning a general election before the end of this year . No, what i want you to take from this, we are doing exactly what i said on the steps of downing street, which is we must get on now with our legislative domestic agenda. People will expect it, we need to get on with the stuff that Parliament Needs to approve, on tackling crime, on building the infrastructure we need, on technology, on levelling up our education, and reducing the cost of living. That is why we need a queens speech, and were going to get on with it. You may not even know by the 14th of october whether youre going to get a deal, and the outlook could be quite different whether you do or whether you dont. So what have you got to say to the public who might be concerned about the economic outcome . Well, we need to get on with our domestic agenda, and thats why we are announcing a queens speech for october 14th. Prime minister borisjohnson has written a letter to mps confirming that parliament will be prorogued. In the letter, he writes, i intend to bring forward a new bold and ambitious domestic legislative agenda for the renewal of our country after brexit. I fully recognise that the debate on the queens speech will be an opportunity for members of parliament to express their view on this governments legislative agenda. If agreement cannot be reached, we will look to reintroduce the bills in the next session, and details on this will be set out in the queens speech. One of the most prominent conservative mps opposing a no deal brexit is the former attorney general Dominic Grieve. He gave me his reaction to the annoucement earlier. I think the Prime Ministers decision is deeply questionable and frankly pretty outrageous. He knows very well we are in the middle ofa national crisis, he knows very well that parliament is concerned about the possibility of a no deal brexit, and this has very little to do with starting a new session of parliament, it is a deliberate attempt to make sure parliament doesnt set for a five week period. Normally when we Prorogue Parliament, it is for about five or six days maximum between sessions, so i think this is pretty unprecedented. But conservative mp Pauline Latham disagrees. If he does decide to do it, i think those people who are against it, like Dominic Grieve who has just been on, should really examine their consciences about what theyve done to try and stop brexit altogether. That is not what the country voted for, so im very relaxed about borisjohnson doing what he needs to do to get brexit through. That is what the country wants, that is what the country voted for, and people like Dominic Grieve really have done their best to stop it in spite of the fact that it was a democratic vote in the whole country. Some reaction and now from the leader of the snp Nicola Sturgeon. First of all, your reaction of two todays news, youre saying it is a dark day for democracy. It is absolutely outrageous. Shutting down parliament in order to force through a no deal brexit, which will do untold and lasting damage to the country against the wishes of mps untold and lasting damage to the country against the wishes of mp5 is not democracy, it is dictatorship. And if mps do not come together next week to stop Boris Johnson and if mps do not come together next week to stop borisjohnson in his tracks, then i think today will go down in history as the d democracy died. This simply cannot be allowed to happen. At the day democracy died. Supporters of the government set is not about stopping a no deal brexit, borisjohnson says there will be ample time when parliament returns. Everybody knows that is typical borisjohnson returns. Everybody knows that is typical Boris Johnson nonsense. Returns. Everybody knows that is typical borisjohnson nonsense. I listened to him this morning, and i have rarely heard a flimsier or more transparent cover story. Even the speaker of the house of commons is colourless and outrageous attack on democracy is calling this an outrageous attack will stop Everybody Knows this is about restricting any ability parliament has to stop a no deal brexit. Lets not forget that brexit was all supposedly about returning control to the house of commons, and now we have a Prime Minister who himself of course hasnt been elected by anybody other than a tiny number of tory party members, is trying to shut down tory party members, is trying to Shutdown Parliament to do something to the uk that everybody who is prepared to be honest about this knows its going to do real damage to our economy, our society, and the prospects of livelihoods and the Living Standards for a long time to come. It is beyond outrageous, and mps have to come together and to do something about this. So what do you do now . Youve been speaking to ian blackford, your westminster leader. How do you seize the agenda, how do you get back in a position where you can stop a no deal brexit . There was talk yesterday of enacting new laws to stop a no deal brexit. Talk yesterday of enacting new laws to stop a Nodeal Brexit. That has to stop a Nodeal Brexit. That has to now be the priority, and frankly, anything that can stop this has to be up for discussion and exploration. But the opposition parties came up with a plan yesterday, a narrow window of opportunity next week to try to take control of the business in the house of commons and then pass primary legislation. That has to be something that all mp5 come up behind. Ithink something that all mp5 come up behind. I think that there is a particular question for scottish tory mps. We keep hearing that Ruth Davidson opposes a no deal brexit. Today, frankly, as the dish usually has to say what she and her tory mp colleagues are going to do to stop a no deal brexit. Colleagues are going to do to stop a Nodeal Brexit. Is there perhaps time to have a vote of no confidence in the government . It looks like a number ten is in the government . It looks like a numberten is an in the government . It looks like a number ten is an election footing. Well, there certainly should be every effort made to get that pending legislation passed next week, and the snp will work with others to make sure that happens. A vote of no confidence cannot be of the table, it must be very much on the table, it must be very much on the table. My message to Boris Johnson on an election, he has got the courage of his convictions, then bring an election on, but have polling day before the 31st of october so that people across the uk can have the opportunity to vote. And if he is not prepared to do that, then the question is, what exactly is he frightened of . He is acting like some kind of tinpot dictator. Frankly it is not acceptable, and if mps do not stop it, then it is no exaggeration, it is not hyperbole, to say that this is not hyperbole, to say that this is the day any semblance of uk parliamentary democracy absolutely dies. What kind of a position as the queen been put on today at balmoral . I think it is a very difficult position for the queen to be in, but i think it is rather bizarre for those of us are polled by an abuse of democracy, to be expecting the queen to step in and stop this. Are polled by an abuse of democracy. Appalled. It is Parliament Vote mac job to stop this. There has never been a more important moment, probably in my entire lifetime, to prove that it is the mother of all parliaments. It has a very narrow window of opportunity next week, and if it does not take it, i think the applications for the uk, notjust uk democracy, but for the uk per se, are profound. Some snp members are now saying today you must set the date for another independence referendum. Where does the move today leave Scottish Independence . The move today makes it all the more important that scotland has the ability to become an independent country where democracy is actually at the heart of everything we do as at the heart of everything we do as a country. People have previously suggested to me that a westminster government could conceivably shut down the Scottish Parliament. I have always said, just because in theory they can do that, they are not likely to do it in practice. This is auk likely to do it in practice. This is a uk government showing to date has no respect for constitutional norms. It is no longer ridiculous to say that a Prime Minister that is prepared to shutdown that a Prime Minister that is prepared to shut down the house of commons would not be prepared to do that to be Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Parliament goes back into session next week, and as it does so, the bill to put in place the an independence referendum will resume its parliamentary progress. To be built to put in place the rules for an independence referendum. It is clear that scotlands future now lies as an independent nation. |j think your supporters might want to ta ke think your supporters might want to take further action is given todays development. I want an independence referendum, i development. I want an independence referendum, lam development. I want an independence referendum, i am determined that will be one. We have to get the legislation on the statute book, but thatis legislation on the statute book, but that is very clearly about giving the people of scotland the choice of independence, which i am absolutely certain, and become more certain by the day, is a choice the people of scotland will take. First minister, thank you very much. First minister Nicola Sturgeon. Lets go now to our Political Correspondent Jonathan Blake in westminster. It was a shock when the news came out this morning. Confirmation of something that has been talked about for some weeks and months now, but some people at least not think the government would go through with it. Others clearly saw it as the only course of action to take. But the reaction to the decision has been raging from fury to bemusement to anger among opposition parties. You would assume from the first minister of scotla nd would assume from the first minister of scotland Nicola Sturgeon about how describing this as the day democracy died in the uk. Others describing borisjohnson as acting more like a dictator than a Prime Minister. So the temperature really has never been higher in terms of the follow up that brexit has caused, and this particular decision has caused here at westminster. And mps have not even returned from their summer break yet. But it is worth just their summer break yet. But it is worthjust remembering their summer break yet. But it is worth just remembering that for all the outrage that has been expressed, we are talking here, technically, about the difference of around four sitting days that parliament would have, if the recess for the Party Conference period went ahead as planned in september, versus the suspension or prorogation of parliament, the Prime Minister has decided to do from the beginning of the week after next. But it is more the week after next. But it is more the symbolism of the decision, and what opposition parties certainly see as an affront to democracy, suspending parliament at a time when the brexit deadline looms ever closer, and the feeling among many is that mps should have all possible opportunity to debate that, and potentially influence the process by forcing the government because my hand and hoping to force them to ask foran hand and hoping to force them to ask for an extension from brussels. Forcing the governments hand. But mps had a very limited time as it was, and now the Time Available to them has decreased by around half. So what would have been two weeks after they came back from the summer break to either call a vote of no confidence in the government are trying to get legislation through which forces the government into asking for an extension to the Brexit Process, that time window has shortened and narrowed even further. So the labour party, the Scottish National party and the lib dems and others will have to decide what to do between themselves. To their plan of trying to raise through legislation in a very limited time slot, which is by no means a dead cert, or do they switch tactics and go for a vote of no confidence in the government . Which again, at this stage, is by no means certain that Jeremy Corbyn would win that. So Boris Johnsons Jeremy Corbyn would win that. So borisjohnsons decision to disband parliament from the 10th of september has sent shock waves across westminster and around the uk, and has set up an almighty row which will unfold next week. Thank you very much, jonathan. The bbcs reality check correspondent, chris morris, joins me. This has been talked about for a while, but now it is actually happening, explain what would happen. Prorogation is the official term for shutting down parliament. It means Parliamentary Business stops, it means Parliamentary Business sto ps, m ost it means Parliamentary Business stops, most laws going through parliament, they have not pleaded to their passage, they fall away. But it is not the same as dissolving parliament, which happens before a general election. So mps do not lose their seats, ministers do not lose their seats, ministers do not lose the position, it isjust their seats, ministers do not lose the position, it is just that all Parliamentary Business is suspended. And in normal times, prorogation is a fairly normal piece of business. It usually happens once a year. But nothing that happens in politics over the next couple of months will be normal. We have used the cliche so be normal. We have used the cliche so many times in uncharted waters, but we are now in a corner of the map which says here be dragons. Gnabry has there before. Nobody has been there before. Mps could potentially legislate to prevent prorogation. There could be a legal challenge. Normally it is a routine bit of business, but the government is saying they want to do this to get the queens speech in place to talk about the nhs and Violent Crime, everyone is looking at this through the prism of brexit and the looming deadline at the end of october. A lot of thinking going on, a lot of smart mines trying to work out how they can get what they want to unfold. Smart minds. And there is that hard deadline of the 31st october. How does this impact on that . It is important to remember that . It is important to remember that the 31st is a deadline whereby if nothing else happens, the uk will leave the eu with or without a deal because on the 31st of october, under both uk and eu law, most importantly under eu law, the treaty which keeps us in the eu, those laws will simply fall away. So we will leave the eu if nothing else changes. And i think the point about the prorogation of parliament is that there was going to be a parliamentary recess anyway for the Party Conference season. But mps would have had the possibility of shortening that. If parliament is prorogued, they lose all that time, and the fear among those who want to prevent a no deal brexit is that this is another way of stopping them doing anything to prevent the uk falling out of the eu as they would see it on the 31st of october. So it is only a few extra days, really, but at the moment, every day is precious, of parliamentary time. So this makes it, i suppose, a little bit more likely that we are going to get to the 31st of october with nothing resolve. If you like, the Prime Minister has now played a card, and those who are trying to thwart to margaret after play cards in response when parliament returns next week. Of those who are trying to thwart him will have to play cards in response. The leader of the independent group for change, anna soubry joins me from nottingham. What do you think about this . What chris just what do you think about this . What chrisjust said is what do you think about this . What chris just said is a spot on. It is not true that this is all about a queens speech, perfectly normal, to introduce legislation, as Boris Johnson has said. He has plenty of time for any legislation to be at least talked about and announced. Yesterday, a group of Party Leaders met, and we were absolutely in agreement. We met withJeremy Corbyn, and we agreed that we would work together, not to stop brexit, but to stop a no deal brexit for which there is no mandate at all. And that sajid javid was due to come into Parliament Next Week when we are due to return, and make an announcement about spending. Today, borisjohnson has behaved in a wholly undemocratic, disgraceful way, for which there is no precedent, as we face a huge crisis about to crash out without a deal. And what theyve done is to try to stop parliament from setting to stop a no deal brexit. That is what this is all about, and it is disgraceful, add a Significant Group of members of parliament, who maybe have a majority against no deal, are coming together, and we will continue to stop this disgrace from occurring. Can you guarantee you could stop a no deal brexit . Can you guarantee you could stop a Nodeal Brexit . No, i cannot guarantee anything. What i do know is this borisjohnson has no mandate for a no deal brexit. He promised, and i know he is very good at saying things which he doesnt believe in, and breaking promises, andindeed believe in, and breaking promises, and indeed telling lies, i accept that, he told us that he was one of many leaders of the Brexit Campaign in the eu referendum, that promise to the british people we would not leave without a deal. That is an absolute fact. And he is now determined that we will leave without a deal. He has no mandate for that. A member, this Prime Minister was elected by less than 100,000 members of the conservative party. And so it is outrageous that we should even contemplate crashing out without a deal, especially when we know that it would be a disaster for our country, and instead of parliament being there to debate the consequences of no deal on behalf of their constituents, putting them in our Country First and foremost, getting the sort of disclosure we should have of all the documents that have been prepared about the lack of preparedness for no deal and its consequences, scrutinising those things, debating, and then going on to decide what happens next. Instead of that, parliamentary sovereignty, the heart of our country, our parliamentary democracy taking place, we have this outrageous snatching of power, and i am afraid to say an abuse of her majesty the queen, bringing her into this stuff, privy counsellors going to see her, not even having a discussion on cabinet, and no discussion with other privy counsellors like myself about this unprecedented move. And i think it is really important to understand that might two things are normally when parliament is prorogued in this way, it is for a matter of days. And secondly, we are in national crisis. This is the biggest decision our country has taken since the second world war. In the last thing you do is to dissolve parliament and take it out of everything. What you absolutely do is keep it there because we as members of parliament, we represent all of our constituents, and we are accountable to them. Borisjohnson is accountable to nobody but himself, and his own self interest and his ideological absolute determination to crashes out of the European Union without a deal. And in the face of the will of parliament, and i believe that is the will of the people, that we should not leave without a deal. Anna soubry, thank you very much. Our royal correspondentjohnny dymond is at Buckingham Palace. The queen has been asked to suspend parliament pending the queens speech. As we had a mayorfrom anna soubry, she and others are saying that the queen has been dragged into this, they are not happy about that. As we heard that there from anna soubry. Without a written constitution sets down in one document with the rules of the game being played out, there is nothing set in concrete, absolute concrete, about what should be done in this situation. But what we know is this our constitution is based on president , it is based on what has come before, and whilst the length of this propagation, the suspension of this propagation, the suspension of parliament is extraordinary, and whilst it is extraordinary in its timing, in the middle of the constitution charged time, the actual prorogation of parliament before a queens speech has precedent. And that is very important to the kinds of people who advise the queen on what she should do in any constitutional circumstance. The second point is that the queen is personally conservative, she likes tradition, she understands it and appreciates tradition and precedent, and she is professionally conservative. It has been a very conservative monarchy, she has not involved herself in any way in domestic politics, she has shied away from it. She has seen her own domestic political role reduced over the decades, and for those reasons, and the final reason, which is that the queen acts as the servant of the Prime Minister, she ta kes servant of the Prime Minister, she takes the advice of the Prime Minister, it is called her majestys government, but it is that in name only. For those three reasons, that there is very large and in the greens mind or those of us that her advisers, and when she is asked for advisers, and when she is asked for a propagation, she will give it. Thank you very much, jonny. Rachel bell is at balmoral. All the drama is unfolding behind closed doors there. Yes, perhaps not the frenzy of parliament here, it is actually quite quiet. Just the usual kind of tourist area to see the queen has met holiday home here in scotland. A few have joined us this morning to glimpse through the gates to try and see the castle and to see the queen herself. We have been waiting for some time for the visit of the cabinet ministers who are expected here. Any time now, really, they are expected to go through the gates behind me and to ask permission of the queen to suspend parliament. There is still no sign of them yet. The queen has been here since mid july. This is obviously higher private time, this is a holiday that she takes every year, and this is really a time for her to relax and be with the family. She carries out matters of state as well, but really it is a time for her tojust well, but really it is a time for her to just relax and enjoy royal deeside. In the last week, we have had the duke and duchess of cambridge here along with their children. This is a very significant visits today, borisjohnson was expected to visit in the next couple of weeks as part of his usual Prime Minister visit to balmoral, but obviously significant as it expected here today from the cabinet ministers. Cabinet ministers have visited bell model in the past, usually to be sworn in to the privy council, but this is a very significant one today, and by far, probably one of the most significant visits in recent times to happen here at bell at castle. Balmoral castle. The snpsjoanna cherry joins us from edinburgh. What is your reaction to what is unfolding this morning . what is your reaction to what is unfolding this morning . I would like to say im surprised, but im not really, because we all thought Boris Johnson had Something Like this in mind. So we have already raised Legal Proceedings at the court of session in edinburgh to challenge the legality of his move to suspend parliament in order to prevent parliament in order to prevent parliament from scrutinising us as we go forward, from scrutinising brexit as we go forward to the 31st of october. But whatever the legality of what he is proposing to do, whatever the legality of that might be, it is clearly something thatis might be, it is clearly something that is profoundly undemocratic to seek to effectively prevent parliament from sitting because he knows that he doesnt have a majority to get his plan for a no deal brexit through parliament. The governments position is that it isa the governments position is that it is a normal constitutional procedure for parliament to be suspended before a queens speech. That is what is happening, it is about outlining the next legislative programme, and there will be ample time for mps to debate brexit before and after that. That isjust nonsense. I mean, it is really disingenuous for Boris Johnson nonsense. I mean, it is really disingenuous for borisjohnson and others to pretend that this propagation is for a queens speech about Domestic Legislation. Prorogation. We are fixing the biggest constitutional crisis in the United Kingdom since the second world war. We are looking at leaving the European Union with a no deal on the European Union with a no deal on the 31st of october, which would have a drastic impact on the economy across these islands. There will be job losses, Food Shortages and medicine shortages. I accept the people of england voted to leave the European Union, although opinion polls suggest they are having second thoughts. People in scotland voted to remain. But in a body voted for a no deal brexit. In fact, people like borisjohnson no deal brexit. In fact, people like Boris Johnson and david no deal brexit. In fact, people like borisjohnson and david davis assured people it would be easy to get a good deal. That has turned out not to be the case. The reality is that Boris Johnson not to be the case. The reality is that borisjohnson knows the majority of mps do not want a no deal brexit, so he is trying to prevent us from sitting so we cannot stop a no deal brexit. It is those on the back fit, very limited time frame. We are not on the back fit. The cross Party Meetings went well yesterday. There is agreement within the opposition parties. And there are tory rebels. Ido parties. And there are tory rebels. I do not think they are going to stomach this anti democratic move from borisjohnson. Stomach this anti democratic move from Boris Johnson. There stomach this anti democratic move from borisjohnson. There are also the Legal Proceedings in the scottish courts. I am the lead petitioner in that case. There are 75 mp5 petitioner in that case. There are 75 mps and peers and also qcs. We we re 75 mps and peers and also qcs. We were due to have a hearing next friday on the 6th of september, but we have made a motion to court this morning to try and get the hearing brought forward so that the court will rule on whether it is lawful for parliament to be suspended in order to prevent the sort of scrutiny of brexit that is envisaged by the eu withdrawal act, section 13. Do you think it is right for the strategy of those who met yesterday of how to prevent a no deal brexit through looking at legislation to change it or does this now mean the timeframe is that much tighter . change it or does this now mean the timeframe is that much tighter . I am sorry, the line is very bad. Do you think they should be a vote of no confidence as he preferred move rather than at legislation . Well, clearly a plan was reached yesterday and the preference yesterday was to go first to try and get legislation through. We need to review their plan in the light of todays developments. I dont fear a general election. The snp do not fear general election, we are miles ahead in the polls and it is predicted we would win worst of the seats in scotland. If borisjohnson can close down westminster on a whim, he may be able to get away with closing down our Scottish Parliament. We wont have that. We have a mandate in the Scottish Parliament to hold another independence referendum. Polls show the majority of scots wa nt polls show the majority of scots want another referendum and they would vote yes. That is something my collea g u es would vote yes. That is something my colleagues in the Scottish Government will be moving forward on and the light of this announcement today. To get back to your question on the vote of no confidence, whilst the snp have no confidence in this government and do not fear a general election, i would government and do not fear a general election, iwould be government and do not fear a general election, i would be worried that a vote of no confidence might be used by borisjohnson as a ruse to hold a general election after the 31st of october, and another way to let no deal happen by default without proper scrutiny. We have to be very careful. I think somebody else said this morning it was like a multidimensional game of chess. The good as the opposition is more united than it has ever been and we are looking at all options to try and prevent Boris Johnson are looking at all options to try and prevent borisjohnson from behaving like a dictator. Thank you very forjoining us. Behaving like a dictator. Thank you very for joining us. It behaving like a dictator. Thank you very forjoining us. It is a very busy day politically, despite the fa ct busy day politically, despite the fact that parliament is not sitting are not coming back to the next week. As we now know, it will only be sitting for a week before parliament is prorogued and there is plenty of critical reaction to that. I will be back for the next half an hour or so. I will hand you back to anita. Lets take a look at the other reaction that has been coming in on line from mps, both opposing and supporting the Prime Minister. The former chancellor says. He calls it profoundly undemocratic. The labour mp says. And the independent route for a change mp anna soubry says. But there have been mps who are more positive about the news as well. The conservative chairman james positive about the news as well. The conservative chairmanjames cleverly says. The conservative mp and x check it the conservative mp says. This current session of parliament has lasted two years now. The conservative mp lucy allen agrees with that, she says. Ive also just ive alsojust got ive also just got some reaction from the reaction from the dup leader Arlene Foster and she echoes the last tweets, saying this has been the Longest Parliamentary session since 1707. We welcome the decision to hold a queens speech, where the government will set out its new agenda. It is outlined in the confidence and supply agreement the confidence and supply agreement the dp has with the government, the terms of that agreement will be reviewed in advance of the new session. We will continue the work with the Prime Minister to strengthen the union, deliver a sensible deal with the eu and restore devolution in Northern Ireland. One more bit of reaction until we go to our next guest, this is from the brexit coordinator for the European Parliament who has said, governments plans to suspend parliament are unlikely to help deliver a stable eu and uk relationship in the future. Taking back control has never looked so sinister. My solidarity with those fighting for their voices is with those fighting for their voices to be heard. It is unlikely to deliver a stable relationship. Lets talk now to the brexit party mep alexandra phillips, who joins now to the brexit party mep alexandra phillips, whojoins us from westminster. Good afternoon to you. Do you think what borisjohnson has announced today is an attempt, amongst other things, to take the wind out of the sails of the brexit party . It could well be in response to that because we showed yesterday that we are either going to be his best friend or worst enemy. Parliament only have themselves to blame for this. They have made themselves the obstacle for delivering the democratic election results. Boris is saying i need to remove that obstacle, quite right, too. Nigel farage has argued for yea rs too. Nigel farage has argued for years to returning sovereignty to the uk. Surely suspending parliament is the very antithesis of having national sovereignty. Sovereignty is based on democracy, and democracy as power of the people. It is about Time Parliament was accountable to the people. The people spoke and the people said we wanted to leave the eu. We have seen three years of politics and trying to prevent that happening. It does take drastic action. They have created the situation, made at the situation that we now have to say, look, parliament is not delivering on democracy. The sovereignty they have they are abusing. It is time to put this back to the polls. I think this is likely to precipitate a vote of no confidence and a general election. That is absolutely right. And we saw 500 plus candidates, prospective parliamentary candidates, for the brexit party yesterday. I wonder though, candidates, for the brexit party yesterday. Iwonder though, do candidates, for the brexit party yesterday. I wonder though, do you think the brexit party would do as well in a potential general election asa well in a potential general election as a date in the european elections, given the rate that borisjohnson is taking, as given the rate that borisjohnson is taking, as i say certainly trying to undermine your stance . Yes, absolutely. Boris is following a playbook that we expected, parliament versus the people, which is the situation we are in. How well the brexit party will do is what we know of borisjohnsons intentions. Is he going to leave without a deal or is he going to go back to the Withdrawal Agreement, that he himself did not vote for, try and get that through parliament . We think that deal is a terrible International Treaty that will lock us International Treaty that will lock us into the eu without any brexit for the future. I think the strength of the brexit party, nigel farage and the true believers and brexit have been chasing the conservatives and forcing them to go down the direction the public want them to. We said yesterday that we will work with Boris Johnson we said yesterday that we will work with borisjohnson if he is prepared to listen to us, listen to the people and say we must leave without a deal because the Withdrawal Agreement as it stands is unacceptable. Thank you very much. Lets go now to brussels. Our correspondent as they are. Adam, lets ta ke correspondent as they are. Adam, lets take a look at that tweet from the brexit coordinator in the European Parliament that i read out saying that the governments plans to suspend parliament are unlikely to suspend parliament are unlikely to help deliver a stable future eu and uk future relationship. Is the feeling that this is most likely to lead to a no deal brexit . Eu officials think there is only going to be two choices towards the end of october, no deal brexit are an extension of the Brexit Process to ta ke extension of the Brexit Process to take account of the political realities in the uk, whether that is a new government, an election, who knows, based on today, what that could be. They think that crystallises the choice. In terms of other reactions from politicians across europe, there had been a few along the same lines. Never has taking back control look so sinister, courting the catchphrase of the league campaign. We have had a tweet of the Foreign Affairs committee in the german parliament. He is an ally of angela merkel. He says, how does respect of democracy go together with suspending parliament . an mep from france who was the europe minister and was close to the french president , what diseases british democracy suffer from . The fear of debate before making one of the most important decisions in its history. That is some of the reactions. In terms of the european commission, the negotiators in the Brexit Process, we had the Daily Press Briefing from them. They said they have no comment on the internal domestic procedures and a member state, what you would expect. Privately, people close to the negotiating team in the eu says whatever happens, why would eu change its position . Either because no deal brexit had become a more credible threat or those opposed to the government had got their act together . They say the only thing that really matters for them is is there a majority in the British Parliament or any kind of brexit deal . The rest to them, nice. Thank you very much. Adam fleming in brussels. Lets head back to westminster. Joanna is still there. Thank you. We are getting lots of questions from you about the constitutional issues around this. We have brought in anna white, a constitutional expert. Hopefully you can help us navigate this parliamentary process. It is becoming increasingly important in recent months. We will start with an anonymous questioner who asks, can the queen refused to grant the suspension of parliament if approached by the speaker . Prorogation of parliament is a prerogative power of the queen. Which means technically she could say no. The strong convention as she follows the advice of her ministers on this. I think it would put her in a harder situation if the government was trying to Prorogue Parliament over the deadline, the fact they are proposing a queens speech before the 31st of october makes it slightly less difficult. She will not be delighted to be brought into politics in this way. What about all the other non brexit business that Parliament Needs to do . So much time has been spent on brexit, they must bea has been spent on brexit, they must be a backlog . I think that is right. That is partly the justification that Boris Johnson that is partly the justification that borisjohnson has made about the need to restart the session. In practice, it is notjust about brexit, it is the fact the government is in a minority, it has been hard to do anything without risking defeat. The new session might help a little bit. Even once brexit was done, the government will not have a large majority so they may be looking for in election to increase their majority. Joyce asks could this lead to another referendum . My gut says that what has happened to date the likelihood ofa has happened to date the likelihood of a second referendum less likely . Just because it it does not look like there is going to beat time and a sufficient group of mps backing that as an option before brexit is now likely to happen, for that to get onto the agenda. Look asks, can Jeremy Corbyn hold an alternative parliament if the queen has suspended parliament . He can hold any meetings he likes. We saw mps meeting yesterday, which was quite symbolic. They can meet, any group of mps cant meet when parliament isnt sitting and hold discussions and choose to vote. It will not have any constitutional significance. It might be embarrassing and the news media may be quite interested in it but it does not actually do anything and legislative terms. If there is a vote of no confidence on the first day of parliament, but the governments of her 15 days to prove its majority . Can the pm still call for prorogation . If the queen says yes to the prorogation in principle that she is being asked for . The presumption would still be that would kick in on the 11th of september, the date we are being told. Parliament would have between the vote of no confidence if it was one and the 11th of september to try and find a majority for a government, whether that was at the existing government or a new government. They have not done that by the 11th, i think we would be into prorogation and an election. Chris simon asks is there any valid reason why the government could not wait until after the 31st of october to suspend parliament . wait until after the 31st of october to suspend parliament . I think the a nswer of to suspend parliament . I think the answer of that is they dont want to. This is a Political Choice, prorogation is a Political Choice and they have chosen the timing of this because they think it best suits what they are trying to achieve. There is a legal challenge from the snp in scotland and talking of potentially of one in england as well to prorogation. What would be the arguments around that . Again, i am nota the arguments around that . Again, i am not a lawyer, but my assumption would be that they would see prorogation as a Political Choice of the government are not something that was for the courts to get involved in. But that was for the courts to get involved in. But i am not sure if thatis involved in. But i am not sure if that is the case right now. In terms of the position that was agreed yesterday by mps who want to block in audio brexit, which is for the first choice to try to get legislation through parliament, is there a clear route now with the timescale so constrained . The route remains the same. The hurdles they would have to jump would remain the same. The timetable is now looking extremely tight. Particularly once you have taken control of the agenda in the commons, past votes in the commons, you would have to get that through the house of lords and that may not be achievable by one week on thursday. They have john back on side because he says he thinks this is the wrong move, and constitutional so presumably he will grant mps the time to at least have the that they want. I think it is unlikely. It has probally made him feel strengthened any decision to allow a Standing Order 24 a to become an emergency debate, to make a decision to hand the parliamentary agenda over to backbenchers, i think he will feel vindicated in making a decision. The deadline is the 31st of october. The queens speech will be on the 14th of october. There is an eu summit on the 16th of october. It isa an eu summit on the 16th of october. It is a tight timeframe, but we have been here before with the clock ticking to a tight deadline. With that period afterwards be enough of a window for Opposition Mps to come up a window for Opposition Mps to come up within audio brexit . It is going to be really shout time window. You normally have five days of debate after the queens speech. But a time thatis after the queens speech. But a time that is over and the European Council meeting has happened, there are only a matter of about a week. Legislating in the timeframe, i mean, if there were majorities who wa nts mean, if there were majorities who wants it to happen, im not saying it is an possible but looking very difficult. Do you think this makes in audio brexit more likely . M difficult. Do you think this makes in audio brexit more likely . It is difficult to say. A no deal brexit. If Boris Johnson difficult to say. A no deal brexit. If borisjohnson creates a deal and meet the middle of october, he has gone to the heads of people to say, we are going to be leaving without a deal and it is a question for the labour party what they do about that. Do they want to be potentially held responsible for us leaving without a deal on the 31st of october i did a package deal at that point . The Withdrawal Agreement that point . The Withdrawal Agreement that theresa may got could yet be revived, couldnt it . Maybe with some minor tweaks . That is the thing, if there is going to be a deal, it has to be heavily based on that. There is not time to negotiate something significantly different. The question is can they get enough changes to it to convince people it is significantly different. Boris johnson did vote for it in the end. As did all but two of the cabinet. Lets see what happens. More uncharted territory. Thank you very much forjoining us. The one oclock news is coming up a little bit later. More reaction through the rest of the day and you can stay up to date online. I will see you tomorrow with the Victoria Derbyshire programme. Have a great afternoon. Joanna, thank you very much. Further reaction. Some tweets from lord falconer, former attorney general, who is arguing that prorogating. General, who is arguing that prorogating. Here is the tweet. Interesting to look at the figures. Our right to have a short suspension. And then he gives exa m ples of suspension. And then he gives examples of 2010 was three days, 2012, seven days, 201312 days and so on 2012, seven days, 201312 days and so on and emphasises this one an ounce by Boris Johnson so on and emphasises this one an ounce by borisjohnson is five weeks and he says that parliament decides lengths of recesses and recalled during the recess. This is the. Earlier i spoke to the whitehall corresponding at the Financial Times and he told me this step by Boris Johnson will make things very difficult for rebels. It is quite a bold move from the government to do this. They have been rumours that the Prime Minister will shut down parliament, or prorogued it to use the technical term. Essentially, the way the government is seeing this as parliament was always going to break up parliament was always going to break upfor parliament was always going to break up for the conference season, they arejust making up for the conference season, they are just making that longer. That is how they are saying it is. In reality, it is squeezing the rebels, people like Dominic Grieve, who want to pass legislation to stop a no deal brexit. And by ending the parliamentary session early next week, that means about a five week break when parliament will not be sitting and when it comes back on october the 14th for that queens speech, that is probably enough time to still just about speech, that is probably enough time to stilljust about get speech, that is probably enough time to still just about get a speech, that is probably enough time to stilljust about get a brexit deal through but not enough time for the rebel mps to pass legislation, try and force Boris Johnsons the rebel mps to pass legislation, try and force borisjohnsons hand. I think the Immediate Impact of this is mps are going to have to look at a no confidence vote once again in borisjohnson s a no confidence vote once again in Boris Johnson s government. A no confidence vote once again in borisjohnson s government. Dominic said just before that is something mr corbin will have to look at. It is difficult for them, we heard firm Jeremy Corbyn yesterday. We do not have the numbers to bring down the government. It is a tricky situation for the rebels and it looks like their bluff has been cold by downing street. It seems like a faceoff between the two sides. Do you think because of the time pressures, the squeezing of time, there is mps opposed to in audio brexit may have to try this no confidence vote route . Make no vote brexit. Mr Jeremy Corbyn he said yesterday he was not going to do that, although i think you would like to pass a no confidence vote, even if they are going to go ahead with this plan, which it sounds like they are, their only option is to bring down the government because if theyjust let the government go ahead, they wont have enough time to pass that bill forward. It is a very difficult situation for the rebels now. It is a lot of people crying about constitutional outrage, it is unprecedented. Boris johnson has a lwa ys unprecedented. Boris johnson has always been very clear, he has never ruled out Prorogue Parliament and he has said politicians do not get to choose what public votes they support. He is talking about the referendum, not votes passed by mps. Let me remind you of what the dup is saying about this. They have been in partnership with the government and a confidence and supply agreement. Arlene foster says this has been the Longest Parliamentary session since the union of england and scotland in 1707 and we welcome the decision to hold a queens speech marking the new session of parliament where the government will set out its new domestic, legislative agenda. She says as outlined in the confidence and supply agreement of 2017, the terms of that agreement will also be reviewed in advance of the new session. This is very crucial for borisjohnson as he has that majority of just one. Borisjohnson as he has that majority ofjust one. And she says, in the meantime, we will continually work with the Prime Minister to strengthen the uk, deliver a sensible deal as we leave the eu and restore devolution in Northern Ireland. That is the reaction from the dup. Earlier, we heard from the liberal democrats brexit spokesman who called this news from the Prime Minister a declaration of war. who called this news from the Prime Minister a declaration of war. I do think that Boris Johnson minister a declaration of war. I do think that borisjohnson has thrown down the gauntlet to parliament. He is not clearing the decks to bring forward government, he can do that without a queens speech. He does not lead legislation to do that. He has done this for one reason only, and that is to force through no deal. He is not making an attempt to get a new deal in the European Union because the reports we get back from the European Union is there is no contact going on there. And that was tom from the liberal democrat speaking to me earlier. We have heard a wide range of views today. Some are calling it a constitutional outrage but others are saying it is time borisjohnson outrage but others are saying it is time Boris Johnson takes outrage but others are saying it is time borisjohnson takes control of the agenda. It is time to say goodbye now to viewers on bbc world. And we will have the news at one coming up shortly with simon mccoy in westminster. It has been a hugely dramatic morning. Some people saying this is a constitutional outrage, the decision to disband parliament. Other saying the Prime Minister is delivering on what the people voted for in the referendum. Time never the weather. Temperatures reached 33 celsius in the east of england. More cloud on the satellite picture. Claudia time today. Out in the atlantic, another area of cloud that will bring lower pressure on thursday. Another one that is near Eastern Canada is going to spread through on friday. An unsettled speu through on friday. An unsettled spell of weather. Outbreaks of rain moving through north wales as well. It will push eastwards. Rain clearing and showers falling to Northern Ireland. Outbreaks of rain in scotland. The heaviest across northern areas. Overnight tonight, that rain clearing eastwards. It will be followed by scattered showers across western areas. Cloud increasing late in the night. Rain in spending on here later on. Looking at the weather picture for thursday, another area of low pressure moving in. Stronger winds across scotland. Gusts up to 50 mph. Rain at times. Further south, more in the way of centring to go round. Temperatures not bad for the time of year. Up to 24 celsius. Friday, another area of low pressure developing. This will bring heavy outbreaks of rain across parts of the uk as well. Living will be targeting Northern Ireland and scotland. Later in the day, we will start to see the rain arriving through north west england and the north west of wales as well. Temperatures are still reasonable across england and wales, with spells of sunshine. 21 to 24. Cooler in the far north west of scotland. That is the sign of things to come. Into the weekend, is whether front is pushing eastwards, bringing with ita is pushing eastwards, bringing with it a change to the north westerly winds and cooler air. Saturday, then, rain clearing away from Northern Ireland. A wet start to the day for scotland. England and wales, that rain band is going to be slow moving, moving eastwards. Sunshine and showers coming into Northern Ireland. It is on sunday we start to see the wind is turning into a north westerly direction. Lengthy spells of rain. Chilly air. Temperatures 12 to 16 celsius for scotla nd temperatures 12 to 16 celsius for scotland and Northern Ireland during sunday. The government says it will suspend parliamentjust days after mps return to work next month and only weeks before the brexit deadline. The controversial move limits mps chances to stop a no deal brexit. But the Prime Minister insists it will not prevent them playing their role in the process. And there will be ample time on both sides of that crucial october the 17th summit, ample time, in parliament for mps to debate the eu and brexit and all the other issues. The Commons Speaker says the move is a constitutional outrage as mps from all sides condemn the governments decision. Borisjohnson has behaved in a wholly undemocratic, disgraceful way, for which there is no precedent, as we face a huge