Tory MP calls those who want to keep virtual House as ‘work-shy’
MPS WHO want to keep the virtual Parliament going beyond June 2 are “lazy” and “work-shy”, a Tory MP has claimed.
In a social media post, Henry Smith, MP for Crawley, said it is not surprising that “work-shy socialist and nationalist MPs tried to keep the remote Parliament going beyond 2 June”.
But Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner called Mr Smith’s comments “nonsense”, adding that MPs and their staff from all parties have been “working hard” from their homes during the lockdown.
Shadow Minister Jess Phillips and former shadow minister and Labour MP Debbie Abrahams condemned the remarks as both “appalling” and “insulting”.
On Wednesday, Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg confirmed that he is sticking by plans
to make MPs return to Westminster next month, following five weeks of semi-virtual working.
Opposition parties MPs failed in their bid to take control of the Commons agenda to enable a vote on how the chamber operates after the Whitsun recess after their amendment was not selected.
Mr Rees-Mogg said he wants
MPs to come in after June 2, following the Whitsun recess, to set an example to the rest of the country, but that MPs’ staff would continue to be encouraged to work from home.
He argued that the hybrid Parliament has cut the time available for debating legislation by around two-thirds, and prevented “proper scrutiny”.
MPs will continue to follow social distancing rules on their return, including by keeping six feet apart when casting their votes in the chamber.
But Labour said the Government “has yet to provide an honest explanation as to why it wants to bring this virtual system to an end”.
Numerous MPs from across the House have opposed the return to traditional proceedings, including Tory Michael Fabricant who said MPs “risk becoming 650 super-spreaders”.