Amidst all the noise, we have more Covid restrictions being brought in on Monday without parliamentary debate or scrutiny.
It’s almost as though it’s becoming a habit to bypass that sovereign parliament...
The restrictions will again have a v serious effect on family life, with potentially v disruptive & painful impact on older people and other groups. They will severely impact other fundamental rights. It sounds as they may be long-lasting.
Parliament’s voice matters.
These are important matters. We need to know that proportionality has been properly considered & equality impact assessments have been conducted.
In short, we need to talk about this slew of regulations that Parliament is being deprived of scrutinising.
There are many ways in which Parliament can and should be actively engaged. Covid is now with us for a longer term than most envisaged or hoped.
Publishing Regulations quietly on a Friday before they come into force on Monday is not good enough.
Exactly this.
It’s not like it wasn’t a problem before Brexit, but it has been on a supercharge mission ever since. There is a real risk now is that Covid is allowed to become an excuse to deny accountability on everything. And these become difficult habits to break.
Instead of focusing on scrutinising the detail and proportionality of national measures being taken re Covid, we are distracted by the never-ending student debating mode on Brexit.
But this lack of transparency and last-minute publication has real world consequences.
So it’s the night before these new Covid restrictions are due to come into force. Has anyone actually seen them yet...
Adam’s useful thread from a few hours ago now...
More hopeless antics on the law from govt who have failed to publish the new covid regulations now 45 mins before due to take effect.
People have a right for law to be accessible to them, not least a law with such serious consequences for so many.
Inexcusable conduct by govt.
Et voila.
The new Health Protection (Coronavirus, Reatrictions). Published less than half an hour before they come into force.
They will impact on the family lives & private lives of many. All without parliamentary debate - months after the pandemic begun - or accessibility.
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