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It's a bit of a moveable feast, but at some point this afternoon, or this evening, the 2005 Parliament will shut up shop with the rather bizarre ceremony of - with the actual dissolution taking place next Monday, by Royal Proclamation.

The ceremony is always an entertaining spectacle (worth watching on or ).

A list of bills passed is read out by the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery, and the Royal Assent is signified when the Clerk of the Parliaments pronounces the Norman French formula: La Reyne le veult - the Queen wishes it.

Of course, the Sovereign doesn't come and do the proroguing herself. Instead she appoints a "commission" of senior peers, who're usually the leaders of the parties in the Lords. A marvellous bit of 17th Century phraseology ensues, with lots of references to "good and trusty servants" in "our City of Westminster".

The commissioners, resplendent in their ceremonial robes, and looking a bit embarrassed, have to doff their cocked hats at various points. And there are even different rules from when the women, as opposed to the male commissioners, do their doffing. The highlight comes when the full names of the commissioners are read out. The Conservative leader, Tom Strathclyde, is actually "Thomas Galloway Dunlop du Roy de Blicquy Galbraith", and when his full name is read out, he blushes and everyone else titters.

Eagle-eyed colleagues on ´óÏó´«Ã½ Parliament tell me that this time, the Lib Dem commissioner will be Lord Shutt of Greetland, the chief whip, rather than their leader, Lord McNally. The reasoning from the Lib Dem whips office? "We thought it would be rather nice for him to have a turn."

Apparently Lord Shutt has been practicing his hat doffing, daily. Anyway, watch and wonder at the rituals that still survive in Westminster.

Once Parliament has shut up shop, so will this blog. I'll be back the week after the election to start previewing the new Parliament before MPs meet to elect their Speaker on 18 May - whatever the result of the election, the sheer turnover of MPs will make it a very different Commons, and there will be plenty of weighty matters in the In tray.

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