Tory MPS will raise concerns over lockdown plan’s damage
Impact on economy and loss of liberty are expected to be topics during today’s debate in House of Commons
‘The concern is that eventually this country will run out of money and the effects of that for everyone and every thing, including the NHS and public services, are disastrous’
BORIS JOHNSON’S coronavirus lockdown will come under sustained criticism from his own MPS worried about its impact on the population’s freedoms and damage to the economy.
Today’s debate in the House of Commons on the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) Regulations will be the first time MPS have been able to discuss the lockdown powers.
Several Conservative MPS including Steve Baker, Sir Graham Brady, Sir Charles Walker and Robert Courts are expected to raise concerns that the lockdown risks damaging the economy and unnecessarily curtailing people’s liberty.
In an article for the Telegraph today Mr Baker said the Prime Minister had to provide a clear exit strategy from the “absurd, dystopian and tyrannical” coronavirus lockdown.
Mr Baker, a former minister and a leading Tory Brexiteer, warned that the powers taken by Mr Johnson’s Government have left millions of people “living under house arrest for weeks by ministerial decree” and had resulted in a “disproportionate interference with fundamental rights and freedoms”.
Mr Baker, who sits on the libertarian wing of the party, said that “the world just changed but British values have not”. He said: “Whatever the necessities, that the rule of law should have been overthrown in this period is extraordinary and deeply troubling.
“Millions of people in our country have been plunged into idleness at public expense and unemployment, facing financial and psychological hardship on a scale never seen before.
“Thousands of people have missed life-prolonging health appointments.
“Vulnerable people are isolated and domestic violence has soared. Soon will come the full economic impact on all our lives.”
The lockdown has meant “we have risked offences of sitting too long on a park bench, purchasing luxury food and sweating inadequately while cycling”.
He added: “This is absurd, dystopian and tyrannical. The sooner it is ended, the better.”
Sir Graham, the chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tories, said the debate presented “an opportunity to raise some concerns about excessive restrictions”.
“Essentially,” he said, “we gave the Government huge powers” over Britons’ everyday lives and he wanted assurances they would be used proportionately.
Sir Charles, the 1922’s vice chairman, added: “The concern is that eventually this country will run out of money and the consequences of that for everyone and everything, including the NHS and our public services, will be disastrous”.
Mr Courts added: “We all support what the Government has had to do because it has acted out of necessity and a desire to save lives. But we must never tire of saying how unusual these powers are: there must be no creeping acceptance of a larger state role in our lives. That is the way that liberty is defended.”
In the daily 10 Downing Street press conference, Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove acknowledged the measures have had an impact on people’s “mental and emotional wellbeing” as well as economic activity.
But he warned that it would be “the worst thing to do” to “prematurely” relax measures and risk a second spike in the disease.
Separately The Daily Telegraph understands Cabinet ministers have raised concerns that British industry will be pushed to the “back of the queue” in trade. Talks with the US are due to begin this week.
Senior ministers have been warning that other countries coming out of lockdown first will give them a competitive advantage over Britain.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Trade Secretary Liz Truss are among ministers highlighting the effects lockdown could have on trade.
A Whitehall source said: “If other countries begin to come out of the lockdown, they will start trading with each other a lot more freely.
“And if we’re still in lockdown and not actually producing cars, we won’t be able to start selling them – and then we’re out of the loop.”
A source close to the Chancellor said: “Trading relationships around the world are important to our economy and we want to make sure that we can come back as normal to those as soon, but also as safely, as possible.”