Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn today dragged the Queen into the row over the suspension of Parliament by demanding a meeting with the monarch.
The Labour leader was wrong-footed this morning when Boris Johnson unveiled his controversial plan to suspend Parliament for more than four weeks in the lead up to Brexit.
The Queen signed off the plan today, with her role in the so-called ‘prorogation of Parliament’ merely procedural and dictated by convention.
But in reaction to the sudden announcement this morning, Mr Corbyn called for the Queen to meet him, as if implying she had some choice in whether or not she would give the move her approval.
The Queen, who is currently in Balmoral, has no actual power and today signed off Mr Johnson’s plan as a matter of convention.
Mr Corbyn wrote to the Queen saying: ‘There is a danger that the royal prerogative is being set directly against the wishes of a majority of the House of Commons.
‘In the circumstances, as the leader of the offical opposition, on behalf of all my party members and many other members of parliament, I request you to grant me a meeting, along with other privy councillors, as a matter of urgency and before any final decision is taken.’
The Queen, who has no real power to deny Mr Johnson’s request, had already agreed to sign off the plan and was visited by minister Jacob Rees-Mogg today to formalise the move. It is unclear whether she will meet Mr Corbyn at any point to discuss the situation.
