Politics Explained: Parliament returns tomorrow – what is on the agenda?

John Rentoul on what we can expect as MPs resume their activity in Westminster after six weeks working hard in their constituencies

The House of Commons has been in recess since 22 July (Getty)

Boris Johnson is not always keen to have the House of Commons in session. At the end of August last year, he suspended parliament for five weeks in a futile attempt to stop it blocking a no-deal Brexit – only for the Supreme Court to rule the prorogation unlawful.

Even though he now has an election mandate of his own and a majority of 78, it seems he is wary of giving his own MPs the chance to meet and plot – and he is certainly unenthusiastic about giving Keir Starmer the limelight of Prime Minister’s Questions every Wednesday.

Labour, on the other hand, will welcome the chance to get back into the headlines against a prime minister whose opinion-poll ratings are in retreat.