Calls to stop a second lockdown in the winter from being implemented have continued to strengthen since the weekend, with prominent Conservative MPs criticising the Government’s direction.
Criticism of the Government has been directed at the fact that they have been making decisions unilaterally without going through Parliament, including the arbitrary nature of some of the new rules. The ‘Rule of Six’ has come under particular scrutiny.
Sir Graham Brady, the Chairman of the 1922 Committee, which all Tory MPs are a part of, criticised the Government’s decision to rule by “decree”. He also said that the Government should encourage discussion on the issues and not avoid them.
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Sir Brady said on Radio 4’s Today Programme: “The Government has got into the habit, in respect of the coronavirus issue, of ruling by decree without the usual debate, discussion and votes in Parliament that we would expect on any other matter.
“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.”
Speaking with TalkRADIO presenter Julia Hartley-Brewer, the 1922 Committee Chairman also said: “It doesn’t work for government to make decisions behind closed doors, to listen to some people and not to other people and to try and cut off any discussion.”
Brady is authoring a bill that, should it become law, would require the Government to put new laws before Parliament before being adopted as legislation.
