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Your support makes all the difference.No 10 has announced that a five-week suspension parliament will begin tonight, as Boris Johnson’s flies back from his first official meeting with Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar in Dublin.
It comes as the prime minister sets up a possible Brexit showdown in the Supreme Court after it emerged No 10 is ready to launch a legal fight against the anti-no deal legislation.
Mr Johnson is also reportedly ready to send a second letter to the EU – alongside the request for a three-month delay required of him – explaining he does not actually want any delay after 31 October. Labour figures branded the plan “illegal” and “monumentally ridiculous”.
John Bercow is set to make a statement in a few minutes amid speculation that he may step down as the Speaker ahead of the next general election.
Over the weekend, the Conservatives announced they were planning to run a candidate against him in the next election - breaking from a long-standing precedent of letting the Speaker run unchallenged.
The BBC's Laura Kuenssberg has another possible explanation for the Speaker's statement.
Either way, there is a lot of speculation that Mr Bercow is about to make a major announcement.
BREAKING: John Bercow has announced he will stand down as the Speaker at the close of business on 31 October if MPs do not vote for an election today.
If they do vote for an early election today, he will stand down tonight.
The government benches did not look happy with John Bercow’s statement as opposition MPs and some Tory rebels rose to give him a standing ovation.
Mr Bercow made a few thinly-veiled comments at the government in his resignation speech.
He said:
"Throughout my time as Speaker I have sought to increase the relative authority of this legislature for which I will make absolutely no apology to anyone anywhere at any time."
More on Mr Bercow's statement - in his resignation speech, he said:
"At the 2017 election, I promised my wife and children that it would be my last.
"This is a pledge that I intend to keep. If the House votes tonight for an early general election, my tenure as Speaker and MP will end when this parliament ends.
"If the House does not so vote, I have concluded that the least disruptive and most democratic course of action would be for me to stand down at the close of business on Thursday, 31 October."
He also explained his thinking behind the timing of resigning on 31 October.
"[It is] least disruptive because that date will fall shortly after the votes on the Queen's speech expected on 21 and 22 October.
"The week or so after that may be quite lively, and it would be best to have an experienced figure in the chair for that short period.
"Most democratic because it will mean that a ballot is held when all members have some knowledge of the candidates.
"This is far preferable to a contest at the beginning of a parliament when new MPs will not be similarly informed and may find themselves vulnerable to undue institutional influence."
Jeremy Corbyn has praised Mr Bercow for being a “superb” speaker.
The Labour leader told the Commons: "In your role as Speaker you have totally changed the way in which the job has been done. You've reached out to people across the whole country."
He added: "Enjoy the last short period in your office but it's going to be one of the most dramatic there has been.
"I think your choice of timing and dates is incomparable and will be recorded in the history books of parliamentary democracy."
Michael Gove was similarly gracious towards the Speaker, praising Mr Bercow’s role as “the backbenchers' backstop” in reference to his resignation speech.
He said:
“You have been in the best tradition of Speakers…
“I have never been in any doubt that you have operated on the basis that the executive must be answerable to this House in the same way as this House is answerable to the people…
“Your love of democracy is transparent in everything that you say and do, and I want to, on behalf of myself & the Conservative party, say thank you.”
Of course, not everyone has been happy with Mr Bercow’s time as the Speaker – especially in recent years.
It’s no surprise then that Nigel Farage does not have any kind words for him.
Our political correspondent Ashley Cowburn has more details on Mr Bercow's resignation below.
More praise for the Speaker – Jo Swinson, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said:
"In choosing you to be Speaker, it is the most important decision I have taken in this House for our country and our parliamentary democracy."
She also thanked him for introducing reforms to make parliament more accessible for parents.
Meanwhile, Labour MP Yvette Cooper has praised Mr Bercow as a “remarkable Speaker”.
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