Doing so will afford the British government an opportunity to block any opposition MPs from passing laws that would prevent a ‘no-deal’ Brexit on October 31.

Shutting down parliament, known as ‘prorogation,’ takes place regularly (usually in April or May) but the timing of it on this occasion is conspicuous, as any laws that are currently in process are essentially stopped dead in their tracks while the government is suspended.

Under prorogation, MPs keep their seats and ministers retain their positions but no debates or votes are held, which essentially scuppers all hope that Remainers may have of a last-ditch effort to prevent Brexit, or of passing a Brexit deal through parliament.

If Johnson goes ahead with his prorogation request, parliament will be suspended on September 10, giving opposition MPs only a few days to push through their final parliamentary efforts to block a likely no-deal Brexit.

The move drags the Queen into the heart of the Brexit issue, from which the royal family has abstained since the 2016 referendum. The monarch would have to accept or deny Johnson’s request to prorogue, though her refusal could lead to a constitutional crisis.

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