The Privy Council has approved Parliament's prorogation, external from later today to Monday, 14 October, when there will be a Queen's Speech.

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Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson says Boris Johnson was “never serious about getting a deal”.

Speaking after reports surfaced that Brexit negotiations had faltered, she said Mr Johnson “wanted to force a no-deal” even though, in her opinion, that would be “catastrophic” for jobs, the health service and the environment.

Ms Swinson said her party’s priority was to prevent a no-deal Brexit by working with the other opposition parties to make sure the Benn Act - making the PM ask for an extension if no deal is agreed by 19 October - was properly enforced.

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Parliament is expected to be suspended on Tuesday, ahead of a Queen's Speech - to set out the government's plans - next Monday.

It comes two weeks after the UK Supreme Court said the government's previous attempt to prorogue Parliament was unlawful.

So, why is the government closing Parliament for a second time?

You can read more about it here.

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Trade and customs experts deliver sharply differing opinions on the proposals for the Irish border. Read more.

Some EU citizens living in the UK were unable to vote in May's European elections because of government delays in implementing recommended electoral changes, a report says.

The Electoral Commission's report found the "difficulties" faced by some British expats and citizens of other EU member states were caused by the government's delay in making changes recommended in 2014.

This included a change in legislation to ensure EU citizens living in the UK did not need to complete more than one electoral registration form.

The "most frequently cited concern" was that EU citizens in the UK were unaware of the need to complete an additional declaration, as well as an application form, to register to vote, the report said.

And others said they were not given enough time to submit their declaration before the 7 May deadline.

The Cabinet Office said: "The government put in place all the legislative and funding elements to enable Returning Officers to make their preparations for the polls on May 23."

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Parliament

MPs are now debating a motions to approve a statutory instruments relating to the EU Withdrawal bill.

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Parliament

Parliament is due to be suspended - or prorogued - at around 19:00 BST.

For this to go ahead, the Queen needs to sign it off with members of her Privy Council, on the advice of her prime minister.

Once the meeting has taken place, the order is published online.

However, it still has not gone up on the Privy Council website, external.

MP for the Independent Group for Change Chris Leslie raised the point in the Commons, saying prorogation was on the order paper for the Commons and Lords, but not yet public - adding such orders are "normally passed several days before".

Deputy Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said it was not a matter for the chair, but he was sure it would occur "in due course".

He adds: "As a member of the Privy Council, I have no further information."

EU diplomats have told the BBC's Europe editor Katya Adler they view the No 10 read-out of the Merkel-Johnson phone call as "Boris on the campaign trail".

Mr Coveney continues: "There's no country that wants a deal more than Ireland.

"What we have always said is if the British government wants to remove the backstop from the withdrawal agreement they have got to bring forward proposals that do the same job."

He says Ireland wants to find a compromise, but the Taoiseach (Irish PM) is "not willing to be boxed in a corner and to accept proposals that are not consistent with the current withdrawal agreement or the outcomes of the backstop".

He says "an element" of No 10's briefing earlier was to put pressure on Ireland.

But he adds: "This isn't about pressure or personalities, it is about solving a problem."

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Parliament

Michael Gove has finished answering questions on no-deal planning and the House has moved onto points of order.