Boris Johnson to restore Prime Minister's power to choose election timing

A Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Bill announced in the Queen’s Speech will repeal the Fixed-term Parliaments Act (FTPA) which led to Commons deadlock over Brexit. The FTPA – setting five-year parliamentary terms except in specific circumstances – was originally introduced by David Cameron’s coalition government in 2011.

It was intended to reassure the LibDems that the Conservatives could not simply call a snap election when it suited them.

However, it resulted in paralysis in the last parliament when Johnson was unable to get his Brexit legislation through the Commons but at the same time could not seek a new mandate from voters in a General Election.