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MPs to spend seven and a half hours giving tributes to Prince Philip, longer than scrutiny for final Brexit deal

Discussion of riots in Northern Ireland and Covid regulation changes will wait for another day

Policy Correspondent

Monday 12 April 2021 11:08 BST

The flag is flown at half mast above the Houses of Parliament in observance of the death of Prince Philip (Getty Images)

MPs will dedicate a whole day of work to a marathon session of tributes to Prince Philip, parliamentary authorities have confirmed.

No other Commons business will be conducted on Monday, with MPs set to spend seven and a half hours praising the Royal until 10 o'clock at night.

Significantly more parliamentary time is being allocated to the occasion than to debating Boris Johnson's final Brexit trade deal - which was given just five hours in December.

Jacob Rees-Mogg, the leader of the Commons, said at the time that the five-hour debate for the Brexit deal was appropriate because “we have now been discussing this subject for four, five, six or perhaps nearly 50 years".

But the agreement signed by the prime minister appears to have a number of flaws, with UK exporters facing major issues at the border, alongside a significant fall in trade between the UK and EU.

Loyalist rioting in Northern Ireland, partly over the effects of Brexit, is among topics that MPs will leave to another day in lieu of discussing what they liked about the 99-year-old Duke.

Other current topics include Monday being the first day of England new coronavirus regulations, with retail, outdoor dining and services like hairdressers opening.

MPs were called back to Westminster a day early to discuss the Duke of Edinburgh's passing, with the Easter recess originally set to end on Tuesday.

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

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1/37Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

People place a Union Jack flag next to flowers and condolence messages outside Buckingham Palace

EPA

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

A mourner cries outside Buckingham Palace

Reuters

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Windsor Castle wardens move flowers which were placed by members of the public

Reuters

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Mourners gather outside Buckingham Palace

Reuters

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

A sign announcing the death of the Duke of Edinburgh, who has died at the age of 99, is placed on the gates of Buckingham Palace, London

PA

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes on big screens for the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, ahead of Ladies Day of the 2021 Randox Health Grand National Festival at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool

Getty Images

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

People with flowers and condolence messages are placed outside Buckingham Palace

EPA

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Jockeys and trainers observe a minute of silence to honour the memory of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and husband of Queen Elizabeth II, at the racecourse in Aintree

EPA

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

A mourner cries outside Buckingham Palace

Reuters

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

People react as they gather outside Buckingham Palace

AFP via Getty Images

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

A woman sits in thought as people laying flowers outside Windsor Castle

Getty Images

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

A mourner stands outside Buckingham Palace

Reuters

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

A family lay flowers outside the Cambridge gate of Windsor Castle

AP

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

People gather outside Buckingham Palace

PA

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

People arrive to leave flowers at Cambridge Gate at Windsor Castle, Berkshire

PA

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Bouquets of flowers are laid down outside Buckingham Palace

Reuters

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Mourners gather outside Buckingham Palace

Reuters

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Members of the public bring flowers to Windsor Castle in Windsor, England

AP

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

The Union Flag flies at half-mast atop Buckingham Palace

AFP via Getty Images

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

A note which reads 'Prince Philip, for a lifetime of service, thank you' is left at the front of the gate at Buckingham Palace

AP

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

A tribute to the Duke of Edinburgh, which will be shown for 24 hours, on display at the Piccadilly Lights in central London

PA

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

The Union flag above Edinburgh Castle (left) and the flag of Scotland on the Balmoral clock in Edinburgh flying at half mast

PA

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Mourners hug as they gather outside Buckingham Palace

Reuters

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

A person holds a flag while looking to Buckingham Palace

Reuters

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

People leave floral tributes outside Buckingham Palace

Getty Images

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Royal superfan John Loughrey outside Buckingham Palace

PA

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

A child lays flowers outside of Windsor Castle

Getty Images

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

A mourner brings flowers and an inflatable horse to Windsor Castle

Reuters

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

A member of the public wearing an outfit in the style of a vintage ceremonial military uniform carries a floral tribute outside Buckingham Palace

Getty Images

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Flowers with condolence messages are placed outside Windsor Castle

EPA

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

A woman takes a picture of portraits of Britain's Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh placed in the window of a pub in Windsor

AFP via Getty Images

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

The Lion rampant flies at half mast at Balmoral Castle in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

PA

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

A woman reacts after laying a floral tribute at the gates of Buckingham Palace

AFP via Getty Images

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

A military veteran salutes outside Windsor Castle

Getty Images

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

A delivery man cycles past a billboard with an image of Britain's Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh alongside the Clydeside Expressway in Glasgow

AFP via Getty Images

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

People sit around the Queen Victoria Memorial at the end of The Mall in London

AP

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

Tributes paid to Prince Philip across the UK

A woman picks up a newspaper with a tribute to Britain's Prince Philip on the front page at Leicester Square in London

AP

The tributes will kick off from 2.30pm in the afternoon on Monday with opening statements from Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer, as well as Lib Dem leader Ed Davey and SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford.

In a statement, the House of Commons authorities said: "The House of Commons will sit at 2.30pm on Monday 12 April for tributes to HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh."

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