# Boris Johnson asks the Queen to suspend Parliament. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [August 28, 2019, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350 "2019-08-28T10:51:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/1 "2019-08-28T10:51:48Z")
[here.](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-49493632). No Parliament till mid October. Should HM agree? I mean, constitutionally an interesting question. Should the Monarch agree to the advice of a PM who she cannot be sure enjoys the confidence of the House of Commons? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/2 "2019-08-28T10:54:29Z")
AIUI, for her to refuse would require Johnson and his government to resign, and would be a pretty unprecedented act to boot. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/3 "2019-08-28T11:00:02Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > AIUI, for her to refuse would require Johnson and his government to resign, and would be a pretty unprecedented act to boot. Not unprecedented. Not recent. Its a conventiona dating from the 1830’s that the PM must command the majority in the House. No one had ever thought that a PM might be someone who doesnt have the majority and who does not resign when that is the case. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/4 "2019-08-28T13:22:35Z")
Would Johnson ask HM to suspend if his camp had not already been in contact with hers and knew what the answer would be? Seems a very risky path to take otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/5 "2019-08-28T14:02:50Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > Would Johnson ask HM to suspend if his camp had not already been in contact with hers and knew what the answer would be? Seems a very risky path to take otherwise. Right, and the three privy counsellors would not have flown to Aberdeen without knowing that there was a purpose to the trip. If she was going to block this, she would presumably just not invite them to her private and most remote residence in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/6 "2019-08-28T14:09:09Z")
[It’s approved](https://privycouncil.independent.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Orders-Approved.pdf) (PDF): > [@](#): > > It is this day ordered by Her Majesty in Council that the Parliament be prorogued > on a day no earlier than Monday the 9th day of September and no later than Thursday > the 12th day of September 2019 to Monday the 14th day of October 2019, to be then > holden for the despatch of divers urgent and important affairs, and that the Right > Honourable the Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain do cause a Commission to be > prepared and issued in the usual manner for proroguing the Parliament accordingly. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/7 "2019-08-28T15:21:39Z")
Trump [thoroughly approves](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX3h5LPQNYg). ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/8 "2019-08-28T20:27:02Z")
Previous thread on Boris as PM: [https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=879601](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=879601) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/9 "2019-08-28T22:39:50Z")
So, this basically handcuffs the controls into position until after the crash, right? ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/10 "2019-08-28T22:46:23Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > So, this basically handcuffs the controls into position until after the crash, right? No, Parliament will sit for a handful of days before the prorogation kicks in, and for roughly two weeks after it (but still before 31st October). It’s a limitation, not a complete manacling. ---
**Author:** ![Kimera757](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimera757/32/3765_2.png) [@Kimera757](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimera757)\ **Post date:** [August 28, 2019, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/11 "2019-08-28T22:47:54Z")
It becomes a popularity contest between Jeremy Corbyn and Boris Johnson. Corbyn is so unpopular he can’t from a national unity government, but seems to be the best positioned to do just that (as leader of the second largest party)… which means nobody can do it (probably). Johnson is probably unpopular too, but it’s easier for him because he doesn’t need to do anything. What if Corbyn became PM and the EU said “we’re tired of this, we’re not moving the deadline”? Corbyn couldn’t possibly negotiate a new agreement in a couple of weeks. (I doubt anyone could, including many people far more competent than Corbyn.) Another election wouldn’t help matters. Even if Johnson gets kicked out there’s not enough time to create a new agreement. The UK needs to focus on what they’re going to do about Northern Ireland and how to deal with the food and fuel shortages instead. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/12 "2019-08-29T00:53:04Z")
It looks horrifyingly like a repudiation of representative (parliamentary) democracy. Maybe that’s not what it is. But I can tell you that a certain fellow named Donald, inspired by this, will be dreaming of suspending Congress. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/13 "2019-08-29T05:05:35Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > I mean, constitutionally an interesting question. Should the Monarch agree to the advice of a PM who she cannot be sure enjoys the confidence of the House of Commons? The matter is determined now, but Her Maj acts on the advice of her PM, she doesn’t count numbers. Boris has _prima facie_ confidence of the House until it is demonstrated otherwise. Confidence was established when Boris was commissioned and there isn’t anybody else who’s putting their hand up as a better credentialed candidate for the role. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/14 "2019-08-29T19:53:17Z")
So is Boris Johnson skillfully maneuvering his way towards Brexit on his terms, or is he just throwing a wrench in the works and likely to fail? ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2019, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/15 "2019-08-29T21:16:49Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > So, this basically handcuffs the controls into position until after the crash, right? This handcuffs the controls until 1 second before the crash, at which point it’s too late to brake and prevent the crash. The only choices are to crash into an oncoming car (~hard Brexit) or crash into a guardrail (~some kind of deal). Right? ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2019, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/16 "2019-08-30T23:31:42Z")
The UK “let’s negotiate a new exit deal” people seem to think that magical unicorn fairies in the EU may negotiate new terms, despite the EU’s state of utter fatigue and contempt of the prospect. Of course Parliament could shorten or cancel their annual conferences and buy some working time. But yeah, Boris. As for the sovereign, she’s been properly trained to stay out of the way, which works best with a non-bat-shit PM and deeply fragmented Parliament. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2019, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/17 "2019-08-30T23:41:33Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > It looks horrifyingly like a repudiation of representative (parliamentary) democracy. > > Maybe that’s not what it is. But I can tell you that a certain fellow named Donald, inspired by this, will be dreaming of suspending Congress. I wouldn’t say it’s a _repudiation_ per se since there is a tradition of this, but the timing is indeed horribly suspect. Not being steeped enough in British politics to find an exact analogy, the closest I can think of is Moscow Mitch’s refusal to hold hearings on Garland as far as repudiation of conventions go. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2019, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/18 "2019-08-31T00:11:59Z")
From what I see, Brits are screaming about this rather more than we yelled about the Garland nomination. Some are calling it a coup by a would-be dictator. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2019, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/19 "2019-09-01T02:37:51Z")
What would stop as many Parliament members as want to to meet together on their own in unofficial capacity, at a ballroom or such, to discuss and debate and develop non binding but somewhat already broadly agreed to plans during that time off to present when Parliament reopens? And if media wanted to cover these unofficial meetings? Why not? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2019, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350/20 "2019-09-01T03:21:05Z")
> [@DSeid](#): > > What would stop as many Parliament members as want to to meet together on their own in unofficial capacity, at a ballroom or such, to discuss and debate and develop non binding but somewhat already broadly agreed to plans during that time off to present when Parliament reopens? > > And if media wanted to cover these unofficial meetings? Why not? Or maybe on an indoor tennis court somewhere … [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boris-johnson-asks-the-queen-to-suspend-parliament/839350.md?page=2)