UK government defiant over pre-Brexit suspension

Outside Britain's parliament they're calling it a coup.

But on Thursday (August 29), the government remained defiant after Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered the suspension of parliament for more than a month before Brexit.

That move limits the time opponent lawmakers have to derail a no-deal Brexit, which business groups fear will cause widespread economic disruption.

But pro-Brexit cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg says the anger from Johnson's opponents is not about a no-deal.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) LEADER OF THE UK HOUSE OF COMMONS, JACOB REES-MOGG, SAYING:

"The people who want to remain in the European Union need to stop talking in code and to be honest, they're not worried about no-deal, they just don't want to leave the European Union and they want to frustrate our departure from the European Union by any means necessary. So the talk about 'no deal' is actually code for saying 'let's stop Brexit.'"

He says there's still plenty of time to debate Brexit even though Johnson's decision will see parliament closed from as early as September 9 until October 14.

The UK is due to leave the European Union, with or without a deal, on October 31.