Johnson must regret TV plan

Speaker’s warning proved right

DAYS BEFORE Boris Johnson’s televised address setting out his phased plan to ease lockdown restrictions, Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle criticised the Prime Minister’s intention to circumvent Parliament in announcing major changes to how the nation can go about their lives during the coronavirus crisis as “a matter of regret”.

The Speaker’s reminder that major Government announcements during a crisis should be made first in the House of Commons where they can be subjected to scrutiny was all the more powerful given Sir Lindsay’s personable, unflappable and considered demeanour, which stands in stark contrast to his predecessor John Bercow.

Mr Johnson must surely be regretting not following that advice as confusion reigned on all manner of issues in the hours following his statement on Sunday evening and the publication of detailed written guidance at 2pm yesterday prior to the Prime Minister finally facing Parliament. The situation was exemplified by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab giving contradictory accounts in different media interviews minutes apart on Monday morning as to whether people would be allowed to meet up with their parents and in what circumstances.

Perhaps the most stinging criticism came not from the Government’s political opponents, but from Phillip Schofield, precisely because – in parallel with Sir Lindsay – the This Morning host usually has such a mildmannered public persona. He told viewers: “If this was in a farce on the telly, I’d go, ‘That’s a bit far-fetched’. It is utterly astonishing. Explain what it is you want us to do.”

The situation could have been avoided if the Prime Minister had followed the Speaker’s advice and presented his detailed plans to Parliament before addressing the nation on television. That is exactly what must happen in future as further major decisions affecting all of our lives are taken during the progress of this crisis.