Boris Johnson declares war on MPs by suspending Parliament weeks before Brexit

Boris Johnson will ask the Queen to suspend Parliament within days, it is reported.

Boris Johnson today declared war on Parliament and the British constitution as he confirmed the Commons will be suspended weeks before Brexit.

The pound plunged by almost a cent against the Euro as the "tinpot dictator" Prime Minister announced a Queen's Speech on October 14.

His "Eton coup" means proroguing - suspending - Parliament just days from now, at the exact moment MPs were planning a law to prevent no-deal Brexit.

It will also frustrate any bid to force a no-confidence vote in the government.

The Tory leader personally spoke to the Queen this morning, who was meeting her advisors the Privy Council at her summer retreat Balmoral, to get her permission. He then confirmed: "We are going to have a Queen's Speech and we are going to do it on October 14."

Reports suggest Parliament will sit only from a brief period, from September 3 to around September 11, before being suspended for a month.  Even after Parliament returns, time will be snarled up with debates on the Queen's Speech on October 21-22.

Lib Dem Brexit spokesman Tom Brake declared: "His declaration of war will be met with an iron fist." A former minister told The Times: "It's outrageous and profoundly undemocratic."

Deputy Labour leader Tom Watson tweeted: "This action is an utterly scandalous affront to our democracy. We cannot let this happen."

Shadow Education Secretary Angela Rayner tweeted: "A constitutional outrage plain and simple.

"Charles 1st did this regularly which caused chaos, now an unelected PM seeking to shut parliament down for his own political gain.

"This isn't taking back democracy - this is destroying democracy.''

It comes just a day after Jeremy Corbyn and opposition leaders agreed to table a law next week aimed at blocking a no-deal Brexit on October 31.

More than 200 MPs also signed a declaration in Westminster's Church House, vowing to carry on sitting in an alternative venue if Parliament is suspended.

Moments before the Queen's Speech emerged, Tory Rory Stewart warned MPs would continue to run Parliament somewhere else if it was suspended.

The move, which No10 sources branded "entirely false" just three days ago, confirms weeks of speculation that the Prime Minister plans to send MPs home to stop them blocking a no-deal Brexit .

Speaking to cameras in Downing Street, Boris Johnson today claimed he was taking the move so he could get on with his programme for government.

But Tory MP Justine Greening said: "Everyone can see this for what it is, a grubby attempt to force No Deal.

"As a Privy counsellor and MP, I cannot support putting the Queen in an impossible position and closing down debate."

The final decision to prorogue Parliament for a Queen's Speech rests in the Queen's hands, and a request had to be made by the Privy Council of advisors - compiled of eminent politicians. But it would have been unprecedented for the monarch to say no.

A Downing Street source told the BBC it would be a "bog-standard" Queen's Speech process about "improving the NHS, helping police fight violent crime, stopping violent criminals getting out early, investing in science + infrastructure, and attacking the cost of living with aggressive tax cuts + other measures".

The last Queen's Speech was held more than two years ago - the longest gap in 400 years.

And MPs were due to leave the Commons anyway for up to three weeks for their standard party conferences recess, around the end of September.

But Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: "It seems that Boris

Johnson may actually be about to shut down Parliament to force through a no deal Brexit.

"Unless MPs come together to stop him next week, today will go down in history as a dark one indeed for UK democracy."

It comes hours after Chancellor Sajid Javid confirmed he had brought forward a budget speech to next Wednesday to offer billions of pounds for police, education and the NHS.

That has sparked fresh speculation that Boris Johnson is laying the ground for an early general election - possibly one forced on him by a no-confidence vote.

Former Labour MP Chris Leslie said: "If true, this undemocratic manoeuvre to try and shut down Parliament must be fought every step of the way.

"How totally underhanded of Boris Johnson to make the Queen sign off on this plot it in a secret ceremony up in Balmoral.

"The House of Commons must assemble and veto this."

Labour MP Stephen Doughty said the "unconstitutional and undemocratic outrage" would "pull the Queen into a major political crisis".

Green MP Caroline Lucas said on Twitter: "Wasn't this meant to be about 'taking back control'? The act of a cowardly Prime Minister who knows his reckless No Deal Brexit will never gain the support of MPs. A constitutional outrage which Parliament and the people will oppose."

Green MEP Molly Scott Cato added: "This will mean the end of democracy in Britain."

"If the Queen is asked to help, she would do well to remember history doesn’t look too kindly on royals who aid and abet the suspension of democracy."

Former Tory MP Sarah Wollaston said the Prime Minister was "behaving like a tin pot dictator".

Labour MP Paul Sweeney added: "This is an attempted coup by an elite old Etonian against our democratic Parliament. It will however only serve to galvanise MPs to strike hard and decisively to prevent a no deal Brexit next week."