Boris Johnson is already making plans for a vote on his Brexit deal before Christmas

Prime Minister Boris Johnson in front of a 'Get Brexit Done' backdrop. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire - Credit: PA

Boris Johnson is already making plans for MPs to vote on his Brexit deal before Christmas with the possibility MPs would have to sit Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.

Downing Street confirmed the Queen is expected re-open parliament on Monday 19th December, which would give Johnson time to bring back his Brexit deal before Christmas, if he remains prime minister.

Number 10 proposed that the state opening would go ahead with “reduced ceremonial elements” if the Tories win a majority in the vote a week earlier.

The Conservative leader pledged to re-introduce his Withdrawal Agreement Bill, which would ratify the deal with Brussels, in December as an “early Christmas present” for voters.

The planned date raised questions over whether MPs would have to sit on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day to debate and vote on the legislation.

A No 10 statement said: “Should this prime minister return, the State Opening of Parliament and the Queen’s Speech will follow on Thursday December 19.

“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.”

The last state opening took place on October 14, 10 days before Johnson made his successful call for the general election to take place.

Downing Street made clear that if Johnson failed to remain PM then it would be up to the incoming government to set “a more usual timetable”, which government officials would expect to take place in January.

MPs have been summoned to meet on December 17 to be sworn in over two days after Lindsay Hoyle takes his seat as the new Commons speaker, but typically they would break early for Christmas.

Boris Johnson said in a statement: “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”.