No10 ‘running roughshod’ over MPS, says Speaker

THE Speaker of the Commons has accused Downing Street of “running roughshod” over Parliament with its lockdown lifting announcement.

Boris Johnson announced a fourweek delay to the final lifting of coronavirus restrictions in England during a press conference yesterday before Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, made a statement to MPS.

Speaking in the Commons yesterday afternoon, Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: “This House needs to know, it needs to know first. I find it totally unacceptable that once again, once again, that we see Downing Street running roughshod over members of Parliament.

“We’re not accepting it and I’m at the stage where I’m beginning to look for other avenues if they’re not going to treat this House seriously.

“But I will say I think it’s time for me to have a meeting with the Prime Minister to actually put on the record ... that this House matters.”

He was responding to points of order from two senior Conservative MPS, Peter Bone and Sir Edward Leigh, who both voiced their unhappiness with the handling of the announcement.

Mr Bone, Conservative MP for Wellingborough, said to MPS: “It’s a long-standing principle of this House that major changes to government policy are announced to Parliament first.

“I can think of no more important policy announcement than changes to regulations that restrict the freedom of

‘I think it’s time for me to have a meeting with the PM to put on the record that this House matters’

the British people.” He went on: “What makes this matter more concerning is that about 30 minutes ago the media were given an embargoed copy of the statement. So the media have the statement in advance, there will be a public press conference at 6pm and the last people to know about the changes to the Covid regulations will be members of Parliament. This is clearly very disrespectful to Parliament and probably a contempt of Parliament.”