Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email
The Queen’s Speech will be fast-tracked and held before Christmas if Boris Johnson wins the general election , as he seeks to ram through his Brexit deal within weeks.
Downing Street said a session of the new parliament will be held on Tuesday 17 December if there is no change in government, allowing time for the traditional swearing-in of new MPs.
Two days later, the government will then hold a Queen’s Speech – setting out the prime minister’s policy agenda and marking the start of a new parliamentary year.
If Jeremy Corbyn wins the election and there is a change of government, however, it will be for the new Labour administration to set out its own timetable.
General election: Facts and figuresShow all 79 1 /79General election: Facts and figures General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 opinion polls
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Estimated declaration time
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures 'Big beasts' at risk
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Smallest majorities at 2017 general election
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Turnout at UK general elections
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 poll of polls
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Vote shares at general elections since 1945
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in North-west England
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Women MPs at UK general elections
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 leaders' visits - Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Boris Johnson's campaign visits so far
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Jeremy Corbyn's campaign visits so far
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Pound v dollar
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 opinion polls in Wales
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in London
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in Wales
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in Eastern England
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 leaders' visits so far
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in south-east England
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 leaders' visits
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Historic Labour seats at risk
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Opinion polls (one week to go) v election result 2017
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 polls in Scotland
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Opinion polls (one week to go) v election result 2015
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in West Midlands
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Bellwether seats
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Conservative top targets
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 polls in London
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Leaders' approval ratings, July-December
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in Yorkshire
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 timetable
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Labour top targets
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in north-east England
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures When parliamentary seats last changed hands
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in the East Midlands
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Seats to watch in south-west England
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Planned increase in day-to-day departmental spending
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Corporation tax rates
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Opinion polls (two weeks to go) v election result 2017
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Opinion polls (two weeks to go) v election result 2015
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Applications to register to vote
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures How many women MPs could there be after the election?
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 opinion polls in Wales
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures A comparison of the length of the manifestos of the main parties
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Mentions of key words in the main party manifestos
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Mentions of key words in the main party manifestos
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Leaders' approval ratings, July-November
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Council houses built in the UK 1951-2018
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Council houses built in the UK
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Opinion polls (three weeks to go) v election result 2015
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Opinion polls (three weeks to go) v election result 2017
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures General election 2019 target seats
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Lib Dem targets
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures SNP targets
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Plaid Cymru targets
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Prime ministers with shortest time in office
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Applications to register to vote
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Major toll roads & bridges in Great Britain
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Police workforce in England and Wales
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Police officers in England and Wales
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Police-recorded homicides in England and Wales
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Knife crime offences recorded by police in England and Wales
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Opinion polls in 2019
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Number of candidates per seat
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Candidates standing in the 2019 General Election
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Candidates at UK general elections since 1979
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Women candidates at the 2019 General Election
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Prime ministers with smallest constituency majorities to defend
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Cost of administering polls since 2010
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures People's Vote group priority list of recommended candidates in key target seats
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures MPs retiring from the House of Commons at general elections
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Lib Dems/Plaid Cymru/Green pact in Wales
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Lib Dems/Green pact in England, seats where Greens have stood down in favour of Lib Dems
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Lib Dems/Green pact in England
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Nationality of NHS workforce in England
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Proportion of NHS workforce in England who are not UK nationals
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Long-term net migration to the UK
Press Association Images
General election: Facts and figures Shortest parliamentary sessions since First World War
Press Association Images
It was not clear whether a meaningful vote will be held before Christmas, but Mr Johnson said last week it would be his “present to the nation” to bring back the Brexit withdrawal bill before the festive break.
“As families sit down to carve up their turkeys this Christmas, I want them to enjoy their festive-season free from the seemingly unending Brexit box-set drama,” the prime minister said.
It will be the second time in just three months the Queen has been requested to address MPs and peers, after delivering a speech setting out Mr Johnson’s vision for government in September.
But Downing Street made clear December’s event would be a stripped-down affair with “reduced ceremonial elements”.
The speed of the plan put forward by the incumbent prime minister for a Queen’s Speech is highly unusual. In 2015, after David Cameron won a majority, there was a 20-day period before the monarch addressed parliament and a 13-day period after Theresa May’s snap general election.
Downing Street said: “Should this prime minister return, the state opening of parliament and the Queen’s Speech will follow on Thursday 19 December.
“The state opening of parliament will take place with reduced ceremonial elements, as was the case following the early general election in 2017. This is due both to the early general election and the proximity of the state opening to Christmas.
“If there is a change of government following the election it is anticipated that the Queen’s Speech would be in January on a more usual timetable, but this would be a matter for the incoming administration.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies