The 2015-2017 Parliamentary session has officially been brought to a close on Thursday after the prorogation was made in the House of Lords.
This means Parliament will now not meet until after the June 8th General Election so all legislature and government business have been put on hold while Members of Parliament campaign to retain their seats.
There were emotional scenes in the House of Commons after the prorogation was read out in the House of Lords, with many MPs leaving the chamber for the final time.
Many MPs who were in the chamber formed a queue in order to shake Speaker John Bercow’s hand before leaving for the final time.
Those who are leaving Parliament and will not be standing for reelection in June include former Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, Sir Eric Pickles and Sir Simon Burns.
Around two dozen MPs are standing down, with the rest hoping to persuade their constituents to reelect them.
According to Parliament’s official website, prorogation marks the formal end of the Parliamentary session. It takes the form of an announcement, read on behalf of the Queen, in the House of Lords.
Before prorogation is made, Black Rod arrives in the House of Commons and summons MPs to the Lords.
State Opening of Parliament will take place on June 19th. There will be major changes to this year’s ceremony due to the snap general election.
In a heavily dressed down affair, Her Majesty will not wear her Imperial Crown or Robes of State this year, and will also arrive in car instead of a carriage.
Also absent from the annual ceremony this year will be the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall. It is expected that they will return to their positions beside the throne in 2018.
I really hope Bercow is speaker again!
Hope they dump Bercow. Preferably in the Thames. Into shipping traffic
I’ll second that! He is a charmless little man.
If the world were half as impressed with the little fool as he with himself he’d be more than a legend in his own mind.