Apparently the govt will whip its MPs tomorrow to vote for its motion abolishing remote voting on the basis that it is essential for govt business to restore in person sittings, & that a vote for the procedure committee amendments is a vote against getting Brexit done...
... so much for protestations from @Jacob_Rees_Mogg that getting MPs back to Westminster is about restoring proper scrutiny. It seems the govt is worried that it won’t get all its manifesto and Brexit bills through as rapidly as it wants with the House sitting virtually...
... despite the fact that House authorities were making preparations for virtual bill committees and these were halted by the government (as @estwebber reported) and capacity to extend hybrid sittings in the chamber was getting better and better...
... in my view there will be a Q about the legitimacy of swathes of legislation passed in circumstances where large numbers of MPs are paired or have to cast their votes by proxy having been unable to speak in debates or propose amendments. Terrible for public trust in govt.
See our earlier report on the virtual Parliament here... instituteforgovernment.org.uk/publications/p…
