MP summoned on May 18 and the Queen to open Parliament on May 25
THE Queen will formally open the new Parliament on May 25,
The date of the State Opening ceremony was published after Downing Street confirmed that Parliament had been formally dissolved ahead of the General Election.
A statement from Number 10 said: “The new Parliament will be summoned to meet on Tuesday May 18, when the business will be the election of the Speaker and the swearing-in of Members.
“The State Opening of Parliament and the Queen’s Speech will follow on Tuesday May 25.”
The week-long gap between parliament returning and the Queen’s Speech is in line with previous general election schedules.
The intervening time in the House is used for swearing in MPs. The Speaker is also appointed - usually a formality, but a number of Tory MPs have suggested they could try to unseat John Bercow, whose wife will be campaigning for Labour in Colchester during the campaign.
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