The Queen will be asked by the government to suspend Parliament just days after MPs return to work in September – and only a few weeks before the Brexit deadline.
It will pave the way for Boris Johnson’s new administration to hold a Queen’s Speech – laying out the government’s plans – on 14 October.
But it also means MPs are unlikely to have time to pass any laws that could stop the prime minister taking the UK out of the EU without a deal on 31 October.
Tory backbencher and Remain campaigner Dominic Grieve called it “an outrageous act”, and warned it could lead to a vote of no confidence in Mr Johnson, adding: “This government will come down.”
But a No 10 source defended the move, saying: “It’s time a new government and new PM set out a plan for the country after we leave the EU.”