Boris Johnson plans to suspend Parliament AGAIN just days after Supreme Court ruled he first attempt was unlawful
- PM told MPs he plans to press ahead with Queen’s speech in coming weeks
- He said he wants a speech to set a new ‘dynamic’ agenda on NHS and education
- Comes after he dared Jeremy Corbyn to call a General Election in Commons
Plans to suspend Parliament again were being drawn up by Boris Johnson last night – just one day after his first attempt was cancelled by a Supreme Court judgment.
The Prime Minister told MPs he intends to press ahead with a Queen’s speech in the coming weeks in order to bring forward a new agenda of domestic policies.
Mr Johnson, who brushed aside calls to apologise for his failed prorogation, said: ‘I think we need a Queen’s speech. We have a dynamic domestic agenda.’
Downing Street confirmed that a new Queen’s speech to set out his policies, which would include plans for services such as the NHS and education, would require Parliament to be prorogued.
Plans to suspend Parliament again were being drawn up by Boris Johnson (pictured on ITV’s Peston show yesterday) last night
Asked when he might act, Mr Johnson said: ‘I will be informing [MPs] as soon as we have assessed the meaning of the court’s ruling.’
Speaking on ITV’s Peston show last night, Mr Johnson confirmed he was undeterred by the Supreme Court’s unprecedented decision.
He said: ‘I think the public should see what we want to do and I think it’s a great shame that the opposition are sort of gridlocked.
‘They don’t want either to have an election. They don’t want Brexit to get done. They don’t seem to want anything.
‘So my urging them would be: if you seriously don’t want to have an election, then let’s get on with a strong domestic agenda of the kind we have.’
Speaking on ITV’s Peston (left) show last night, Mr Johnson (right) confirmed he was undeterred by the Supreme Court’s unprecedented decision
The Supreme Court judgment did not rule out Mr Johnson suspending Parliament again.
But it suggested any prorogation for a Queen’s speech would have to be much shorter – probably just four or five days rather than the five weeks Mr Johnson demanded last time.
Mr Johnson yesterday offered opposition leaders a fresh chance to force an election by holding a vote of no confidence in his government today.
But opposition parties looked set to reject the offer, describing it as a trap that could allow the PM to take Britain out of the European Union without a deal during the election campaign.
Downing Street said failure to hold a vote of no confidence would be taken as a ‘mandate’ for Mr Johnson to get on with his domestic policies.
The Prime Minister (pictured in the House of Commons yesterday) told MPs he intends to press ahead with a Queen’s speech in the coming weeks in order to bring forward a new agenda of domestic policies