House of Commons

If the definition of insanity – apocryphally attributed to Einstein, though he never said it – is repeating the same thing and expecting different results, then the definition of idiocy must surely be facing an existential crisis and doing… nothing. Coronavirus was an international crisis in March and remains an international crisis seven months on. […]

Labour has accused the Tories of “showing contempt” for the public after not a single one its backbenchers was present for a debate on coronavirus measures, including the furlough scheme and evictions bans. Only one minister was present for sections of Wednesday’s Opposition Day debate which focused on funding for northern areas under lockdown, replacements […]

The government is set to install a series of portaloos along the major roads in Kent to deal with possible Brexit congestion from the delays at ports following the end of the transition period. Transport minister Rachel MacClean was responding to questions about documents which revealed the government is planning for queues of up to […]

MPs voted 332 to 279 to overturn a House of Lords amendment to the Agriculture Bill which would have required agricultural and food imports to meet domestic standards. The Lords had made the change to block the import of foodstuffs produced abroad with lower animal welfare standards, amid warnings over chlorinated chicken or hormone-treated beef […]

Tory MPs have overturned measures aimed at protecting UK food standards after Brexit – despite signs of some rebels in Boris Johnson’s party. The House of Commons voted 332 votes to 279, majority 53, to disagree with a Lords amendment to the Agriculture Bill which would have required agricultural and food imports to meet domestic […]

Former House of Commons speaker John Bercow has slammed the government, saying that it is “doesn’t believe in accountability”. Bercow on Good Morning Britain condemned described the coronavirus Test and Trace system as “shambolic at best and non-existent at worst”. Asked whether he thought Johnson is the right man for the job, he replied that it […]

MPs have approved a longer autumn recess for the House of Commons. The chamber will adjourn after business has concluded on Friday October 23 and return on Monday November 2. The motion detailing the recess was supported unopposed. MPs will be unable to challenge ministers in the Commons chamber during this period over coronavirus restrictions, […]

The SNP’s Westminster leader has told one of his own MPs to stand down, urging her “to do the honourable thing” as calls for her resignation increase. Ian Blackford has called for Margaret Ferrier to resign her seat after it emerged she travelled between Glasgow and London with coronavirus. Ferrier said in a statement on Thursday […]

A Tory Brexiteer MP has told Matt Hancock he needs to “start acting like a Conservative” in the House of Commons. The comments were made in anger to the proposals from the health secretary to tackle the coronavirus. In a clash in the House of Commons, backbencher Philip Davies stood up in front of MPs […]

Jacob Rees-Mogg has announced plans for a week-long Commons recess, raising concerns over how the government’s coronavirus measures can be properly scrutinised. The extra-long break has been introduced because of fears over the spread of coronavirus, but prompted criticism from social media users who claimed the government was hiding from scrutiny. It comes at a […]

A Tory Brexiteer MP has claimed that Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance are guilty of coronavirus “scaremongering”, in a speech to the House of Commons. Sir Desmond Swayne claimed it was a “sacking offence” for the government’s chief scientific and medical advisers to deliver a presentation to warn how 200 or more people in the […]

At least 52 Tory MPs have signalled they are willing to back Graham Brady’s amendment to the Coronavirus Act which could lead to a fresh government defeat. The amendment demands that “parliament has an opportunity to debate and to vote upon any secondary legislation with effect in the whole of England or the whole United Kingdom […]

BBC News anchor Simon McCoy has caused a reporter to break into laughter as the pair waited for Matt Hancock to appear the dispatch box in the House of Commons. McCoy and political reporter Chris Mason were waiting for the health secretary to provide an update to MPs on the latest coronavirus restrictions. BBC News anchor […]

A Labour MP has said that Tory MPs are guilty of following tactics of Donald Trump after she claimed to have never seen any of the politicians wearing face masks during votes in the House of Commons. Emily Thornberry, the shadow international trade secretary, said that “so many rules don’t seem to apply in parliament” […]

Boris Johnson’s restrictions for pubs will not apply to bars in parliament. Despite requiring pubs to close at 10pm, and encouraging drinking establishments to collect data for the track and trace system, the Times reports the same rules will not apply where politicians frequent. That is because parliament is using a loophole which claims “workplace canteens […]

The DUP’s chief whip in Westminster has labelled MPs who voted against or abstained from Boris Johnson’s Brexit bill “agents of the European Union”. Sammy Wilson, a fervent Eurosceptic who supports the Brexit pressure group Leave Means Leave, said he failed to understand why MPs would choose to vote against the prime minister’s internal market […]

Attorney general Suella Braverman has branded Labour “unpatriotic” for opposing the Internal Market Bill which will break international law. Braverman said Labour’s stance on the bill, which the government admitted broke the law in “a very limited and specific way” was “anything but patriotic”. Labour’s stance on the bill matches that of all living former […]