We all need a recess
They’re off! From today, Parliament is in recess and our politicians can escape Westminster’s increasingly febrile atmosphere and take a holiday. Certainly the country needs one from politics. Theresa May is planning a walking vacation in Switzerland, which should put everyone on their mettle. The last time she went so far above sea level, to spend Easter walking in Snowdonia with her husband Philip, she returned to call a general election, with calamitous consequences. It is to be hoped that the Alpine air will be less intoxicating than the Welsh.
Until a few years ago, Parliament’s long recess continued until after the party conferences in October. Now MPS and peers come back for two weeks in September to show their constituents they are still hard at it. That is a shame – there is no real need to return in September. Furthermore, the Government is expected to hold the Second Reading of the EU Withdrawal Bill during this fortnight, a big and unpredictable moment. It’s not going to be much of a break for our parliamentarians – or the rest of us.