Longest parliamentary session comes to an end

“distractive effect” which had resulted in government failures to tackle the economic and cultural challenges being produced by rapid technological change.

“It is possible to pull our politics back to a place, where we’re able to put aside the distraction of Brexit and we’re able instead to present the country with a choice that is from a place of reason, of rational debate, a place where people can disagree without hating each other, then we will be much more capable of facing this huge challenge that we and every other nation face,” he said.

“I think we may find that this populist surge which has distorted our politics finally exhausts itself and allows us to get back to true principles and true activity of governing in the interests of the people.” The longest parliamentary session in the history of the United Kingdom was to end last night – and this time for good.

The session initially came to an end in the early hours of September 10, when Parliament was thought to have been prorogued - or suspended - until October 14.

But the Supreme Court then ruled the prorogation was unlawful, meaning the session had not technically ended at all.

Instead, MPS returned to the House of Commons on September 25 to resume parliamentary business. The current session formally began on June 21 2017 with the State Opening of Parliament, including the Queen’s Speech.

When Parliament is prorogued on Tuesday night, 839 calendar days will have passed, making it the longest continuous parliamentary session since the UK was established by the Acts of Union in 1800.

The previous record-holder was the session of 2010-12, which lasted 707 calendar days.

Parliament is typically prorogued once a year, followed shortly afterwards by another State Opening and Queen’s Speech.