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More than 40 multi-party MPs, including the Labor Party’s Harriet Harman and Conservative Iain Duncan Smith, are backing an amendment to force a vote in parliament on future Covid-19 restrictions amid a revolt among conservative supporters over the extension. of emergency laws.
MPs are due to vote next week on a six-month renewal of the Coronavirus Act, but Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the influential 1992 committee of conservative advocates, is tableting an amendment, aimed at ensuring parliament has a voice before any other measure. that repress social freedoms.
Former Acting Labor Leader Harriet Harman, Parliamentary Labor Party Chairman John Cryer and former Deputy Chief John Spellar were the surprise names for Labor among the 46 signatories to the amendment when a list was released Thursday. Other prominent supporters include former Conservative leader Duncan Smith, former Brexit Secretary David Davis and former First Secretary of State Damian Green.
Former Minister Steve Baker, who is organizing rebels and is among the 40 Conservative signatories, has stated that he is “100% sure” that the amendment will pass if both the Labor Party and the SNP also back it. DUP MPs Ian Paisley Jr and Sammy Wilson are also among opposing signatories to the amendment, which states that ministers ensure “to the extent possible in the exercise of their powers to address the pandemic. Parliament has the opportunity to debate and vote on any secondary legislation which has effect throughout England or the whole of the United Kingdom before it enters into force ”.
The amendment would need the support of opposition parties to surpass the 80-seat majority in government. Discussions are expected to take place in the next few days between Downing Street and the rebels, suggesting that a deal to avoid a Commons showdown on Wednesday could be at stake.
It is understood that the text of the amendment has been supervised by a senior secretary, and his supporters trust that it will be governed in order and allowed to proceed to a vote if selected by the President. However, it is believed that the amendment will not actually change the legislation, meaning that any defeat by the government would be symbolic rather than legally binding.
The Labor Party has yet to say publicly whether it will back the Brady amendment and the SNP has yet to make a decision.
Harman told The Guardian that she plans to introduce her own amendment designed to ensure the new restrictions are put to a vote in parliament within seven days of their introduction, which she says has the support of 37 other MPs.
“People recognize that the government is under great time pressure and that the virus moves very fast, but there is no excuse for them not to go to parliament, at least in seven days, to ratify it or, indeed Go to Parliament first, “he said.
Harman, who chairs the joint human rights committee, made clear that the efforts were cross-party and that his amendment was not in competition with Brady’s. “The point is that everyone is working together to pressure the government to recognize that they cannot continue to make and change criminal law without any reference to parliament,” he added.
The Coronavirus Law 2020 gives the government a wide range of emergency powers to address the crisis, although most of Covid’s blocking restrictions, including the rule of six, have been imposed using Health Law regulations. 1984 Public, which come into effect before a Parliamentary Vote. However, conservative MPs are taking advantage of the renewal of the law next week to air their complaints about what many characterize as an assault on basic freedoms.
Baker told The Guardian on Thursday: “Members of Parliament feel increasingly helpless as measures that restrict the basic civil liberties of our constituents are signed into law without our vote on them or even prior debate.
“This amendment tries to change that, regain control of parliament … Of course, I don’t want to be in government territory losing a vote. What we really want is for the government to reach an agreement with Sir Graham that allows us to debate and vote on government measures before they become law.
“The idea that we are all going to fool ourselves with general debates and after the fact the votes is for the birds. It is fundamentally a question of parliamentary democracy and individual freedom, as well as of our collective responsibility to each other ”.
Davis also previously told The Guardian that he was backing the amendment. “It has no power: but if the government ignores it, it would be very foolish,” he said. “Parliamentary scrutiny is not just about who is to blame, it is about improving the quality of decision-making. Parliament invented crowdfunding 200 years ago. “
Conservative MP Daniel Kawczynski, who is also among the sponsors, tweeted Thursday: “Every MP should be held accountable for their vote on such a massive civil liberties / economy / jobs / mental health issue.”
The prime minister’s spokesman said there would be a vote on the renewal of the Coronavirus Law 2020 and that MPs also had the opportunity to vote on individual regulations, which would expire in 28 days if MPs decide to vote against them, although not they can stop them. in advance. “Obviously, it has been important that we can act quickly, especially in regards to local closures, but the current position provides for parliamentary scrutiny,” the spokesman said.
