Thread by @ConUnit_UCL

A group of democracy specialists, including the Unit's Director Meg Russell, have a letter in today's Times on how the ending of the virtual House of Commons breached fundamental democratic principles.

The full text and signatories are below. 1/8

thetimes.co.uk/edition/commen…

"As specialists in the principles and practice of democracy, we are gravely concerned about the suspension of the ‘hybrid’ House of Commons. This very clearly breached fundamental democratic principles.

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The hybrid parliament was established through consultation and cross-party agreement, as is appropriate. Its dismantling followed the reverse approach. 

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The requirement to attend the Commons physically last week to decide the future of the arrangements excluded many MPs from participating, including those ‘shielding’ against coronavirus.

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Had those MPs been able to participate, remote voting would very probably have been retained.  Hence the government ended the hybrid parliament only through disenfranchising the very MPs that it was there to support.

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Democracy rests on the principle of equality, which was clearly violated by these events. The voices of these same MPs, and their constituents, remain excluded from legislative business

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Ministers must therefore urgently rethink, and reintroduce arrangements restoring all MPs’ rights to participate in all Commons proceedings."

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Meg Russell @ConUnit_UCL
Dr Ruth Fox @RuthFox01 @HansardSociety
Michael Keating @CCC_Research
Nicola McEwen @McEwen_Nicola
John Garry @du_qub
Graham Smith @Smith1966G
Cristina Leston-Bandeira @estrangeirada
Tim Hughes @TimJHughes @involveUK
Anthony Zacharzewski @anthonyzach

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