Will the Queen’s Speech be delayed by Brexit and what would that mean for Theresa May’s future?

Brexit Explained: Without a new parliamentary session, MPs have nothing to do – but inviting in the Queen could spell doom for the prime minister

The last Queen’s Speech was the one when Her Majesty wore her anti-Brexit hat – as I mischievously chose to interpret that striking blue-with-yellow-stars selection.

You are forgiven if you have forgotten, given that what is supposed to be the annual pomp-and-ceremony of a new parliamentary session last took place almost two years ago.

Now there is a widespread expectation of a further delay before the royal carriage next trundles up to Westminster – so what is going on and is Brexit to blame?

The very simple answer to the second question is “yes”. The two-year session was a recognition that the enormity of carrying out EU withdrawal would take time and dominate political life.

However, back in June 2017, no one expected to be trapped in the current, never-ending crisis. But, here we are, which means the planned June 2019 Queen’s Speech is now receding into the distance.

The dilemma facing Theresa May is that, unless there is a Brexit breakthrough – and none seems likely – MPs will have nothing to do when they return after Easter, so new legislation would normally follow.

But what is the point of a Queen’s Speech put together by a prime minister who is a dead woman walking, destined for a humiliating exit from No 10 in months, if not weeks?

The choice is between the absurdity of announcing a legislative programme a successor could quickly abandon – or the farce of MPs twiddling their thumbs for many months.

Worse, a Queen’s Speech creates a lip-licking opportunity for Ms May’s Brexiteer enemies to accelerate her departure, by voting it down to force her out and finally bury that hated agreement with Brussels.

Furthermore, a new session requires a new negotiation to secure continued propping up by the Democratic Unionist Party – at a time when relations with the Northern Ireland party are ice-cold, because it opposes the divorce deal.

Leaked correspondence seen by The Times showed Whitehall has been told to work towards a new parliamentary session “in or around June 2019”.

However, the odds must be on a delay – after all, this prime minister rarely sees a road without opting to kick the can down it.