"We heard in the last week or so a lot of noises about whether or not Boris Johnson would be able to find a deal with the EU," says the Institute for Government's Catherine Haddon.

"There was some speculation that that might stop Conservative MPs wanting a showdown with their own government too early.

"I think this changes that.

"I think this means there will be a great showdown next week and things could move very quickly."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson defends the decision, saying it is "completely untrue" that suspending Parliament is undemocratic.

"If you look at what we are doing we are bringing through a new legislative programme for a domestic agenda," he says.

"There will be ample time on both sides of the crucial EU summit on 17 October for MPs to debate the EU and Brexit," he says.

The value of the pound has fallen following this morning's news - it is now down almost 1% against both the euro and the dollar.

The value of pound fell 0.8% against the euro, so £1 is now worth €1.10. But that is still just ahead of the 10-year low that the pound hit earlier this month. Then £1 was worth just €1.07.

Discussing the PM's decision to suspend parliament, David Cheetham, an analyst at currency trader XTB Online Trading said: "This seems like a pre-emptive strike from Boris against those seeking to block a no-deal Brexit and once more it seems that the opposition are in danger of fluffing a big opportunity to have an impact.

"If the government is successful in this then a no-deal Brexit wouldn’t be taken off the table until the 11th hour at the earliest and this keeps a significant downside risk to the pound in play."

Parliament is normally suspended - or prorogued - for a short period before a new session begins. It is done by the Queen, on the advice of the prime minister.

Parliamentary sessions normally last a year, but the current one has been going on for more than two years - ever since the June 2017 election.

When Parliament is prorogued, no debates and votes are held - and most laws that haven't completed their passage through Parliament die a death.

This is different to "dissolving" Parliament - where all MPs give up their seats to campaign in a general election.

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"It does seem like a very obvious move to cut down the time available for anti-no-deal MPs to do something about it," says the Institute for Government's Catherine Haddon.

She also says the time for the government to get a Brexit deal through Parliament, if they did reach an agreement with the EU, is "extremely short".

"And even for no-deal preparations, the time is very difficult for the government," she added.

Conservative MP Dominic Grieve - who backed Remain in 2016 and has called for a further referendum - tells BBC Radio 5 Live the prime minister's move is "an outrageous act".

There has been no shortage of reaction from MPs.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 live, former Attorney General, the Conservative MP Dominic Grieve said it was “an outrageous act by the prime minister” and predicted that it would lead to the “collapse” of his government.

He also promised to vote “to bring down the government” in a vote of no confidence.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said MPs must come together to stop the plan next week, or "today will go down in history as a dark one indeed for UK democracy".

Labour deputy leader Tom Watson tweeted that the move was an "utterly scandalous affront to our democracy".

But Conservative Party Chairman James Cleverly defended the plan as what "all new governments do".

The news broke this morning that 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.

BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg says it will make way for Boris Johnson's new administration to hold a Queen's Speech - laying out the government's plans - on 14 October.

It 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.

This is highly controversial move by the prime minister.

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