Boris Johnson to suspend British parliament again, despite previous attempt being ruled unlawful

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson intends to ask for parliament to be suspended from October 8 to 14, his Downing Street office said on Wednesday, after a previous attempt was ruled unlawful.

“These timings would mean parliament is prorogued for the shortest time possible to enable all the necessary logistical preparations” for Queen Elizabeth to outline the government’s new legislative programme, it said in a statement.

The move comes as the British leader’s new Brexit plan got a cool reception in Brussels, where European officials highlighted problems and their chief negotiator warned it left “a lot of work” to be done.

Johnson previously advised the monarch to suspend, or prorogue, parliament from September 10 to October 14. Pro-European lawmakers were outraged and saw the move as an attempt to stifle democratic debate on Britain’s pending departure from the European Union on October 31.

Following legal challenges in England and Scotland, the Supreme Court judged Johnson’s advice to the monarch was unlawful, and deemed the lengthy prorogation frustrated parliament’s constitutional functions. Britain’s highest court quashed the prorogation, and parliament resumed on September 25.

The move would mean parliament is suspended after the close of business on Tuesday and then miss just two sitting days, on October 9 and 10.