John Bercow – 2019 Statement on Prime Minister’s Unlawful Prorogation

Below is the text of the statement made by John Bercow, the Speaker of the House of Commons, in the Commons on 25 September 2019.

Colleagues, welcome back to our place of work.

The UK Supreme Court ruled yesterday that

“Parliament has not been prorogued”

and that the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Lord Speaker

“can take immediate steps to enable each House to meet as soon as possible”

to decide upon a way forward.

I will arrange for the citation for that judgement to be entered in the Journal of this House and accordingly direct that the item relating to the Prorogation of Parliament in the Journal of Monday 9 September is expunged and the House is instead recorded as adjourned at the close of the business. I instruct the Clerk to correct the Journal accordingly and to record the House to have adjourned at the close of business on Monday 9 September until today.

Members should also be aware that Royal Assent to the Parliamentary Buildings (Restoration and Renewal) Bill, which formed part of the royal commission appointed under the quashed Order in Council, will need to be re-signified.

I wish to record my thanks, and I hope colleagues across the House will join me in doing so, to the staff of the House, including the security, catering, Chamber business, parliamentary digital and in-house services teams, who have worked exceptionally hard over the past 24 hours to prepare for this resumption.

You will know—but in the name of the public intelligibility of our proceedings, I think it worthwhile to note—that there is no ministerial Question Time today, including therefore no prime ministerial Question Time. The reason for that is very simple. As colleagues will be aware, there are notification requirements: questions ordinarily are tabled three sitting days before the exchanges take place, so there are no Prime Minister’s questions today. However, there is scope, as I indicated in public yesterday, for urgent questions, ministerial statements and other business.