‘Ignorance’ of Boris Johnson

PMQs and the value of scrutiny

PRIME MINISTER’S Questions offered another reminder about the importance of Parliamentary scrutiny – and the need for Commons business to return to normal as expeditiously as possible. Here was a ruffled Boris Johnson lashing out and accusing Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer of being “ignorant of the facts” over social care and Covid-19 testing.

And while it should be noted that the spread of coronavirus is being contained, and thankfully so, it has come at an incalculable cost – not least in the country’s care homes.

If Mr Johnson thinks these questions were unreasonable, given how Ministers initially played down the risk to elderly people in care, it is the PM who, with respect, is guilty of ignorance.

If it wasn’t for PMQs, and Sir Keir’s first intervention last month, the country would be none the wiser about the number of social care staff to have died from Covid-19 (the number is now 131 in addition to 181 NHS workers).

In fairness, Mr Johnson did try to build a consensus at the outset of this crisis but this also depends on Ministers admitting to their mistakes – something this Government is very unwilling to do.

And the fact that Mr Johnson appears so flustered points to a wider complacency which has coincided with the curtailments of Commons debates to accommodate social distancing.

Pre-prepared speeches read out without challenge is not the way to make laws. Quite the opposite. That just leads to poor legislation and the type of complacency now demonstrated by Boris Johnson at the despatch box on a regular basis.

As such, Parliament must use the Whitsun recess to lead by example, and come up with new ways to adapt, so MPs can fulfil their democratic duty; holding Ministers to account on behalf of their voters. It is a task made even more urgent by Covid-19’s terrible toll.