Recently, the Prime Minister announced sweeping new social restrictions in order to slow the rapidly-rising number of coronavirus cases in Britain. The new measures mean shop and hospitality staff must wear a face mask at all times, while pubs and restaurants must close no later than 10PM from Thursday.
The new measures mean shop and hospitality staff must wear a face mask at all times, while pubs and restaurants must close no later than 10PM from Thursday.
The government is able to implement such measures without the usual democratic process in the UK due to the Coronavirus Act 2020.
However, senior Tory MPs are saying the time is right for ministers to be able to properly discuss COVID-19 restrictions in Parliament before they make it into law – a suggestion being spearheaded by Sir Graham Brady, chair of the influential 1922 committee of backbench Conservative MPs.
Former foreign secretary William Hague told The Telegraph Mr Johnson should implement Sir Brady’s suggestion now, as well as three others, to make the coming months more bearable.
Mr Hague said: “Hold votes in Parliament however inconvenient; make more compromises with devolved governments however exasperating; let Metro Mayors make some decisions even if they’re not always right; and elevate the vital issue of testing to the top.
“Such changes to handling the politics of the coming months could help get this country through them together.”
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He told BBC Radio 4: “The British people aren’t used to being treated as children.
“We expect in this country to have a parliamentary democracy where our elected representatives on our behalf can require proper answers to these – not just have some imposed.”
Lady Hale, former British Supreme Court judge, agreed, saying Parliament had “surrendered its role” by allowing laws to be passed without proper debate.
She wrote in an essay published this week: “It is not surprising the police were as confused as the public as to what was law and what was not.
“My plea is that we get back to a properly functioning constitution as soon as we possibly can.”
Yesterday, there were 4,926 new cases of COVID-19 across the UK, with 37 daily deaths, according to government figures.
It brings the UK’s total number of cases to 403,551, with 41,825 total deaths.
Daily new cases have been rising quickly since the middle of last month. For contrast, on August 23 the UK reported 1,160 new cases.
Boris Johnson has said the UK is at a “perilous turning point,” warning the new restrictions announced this week could last for as long as six months.
Anyone found breaking the new laws could face a fine of £200 for a first offence.
