During the first Covid wave, the government secured emergency powers that allowed it to put in place new restrictions without parliamentary scrutiny. Those powers are up for renewal next week, but as James Forsyth writes in this week’s cover piece, a number of Tory MPs are unhappy about this. They are trying to force the government to put a parliamentary lock on any future restrictions.
Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbench MPs, is leading the effort. Last night, he told Andrew Neil on Spectator TV that he believes he has enough to defeat the government if it come to a vote:
‘I think we have got the numbers. We tabled the amendment this afternoon for the rise of the House. The amendment has got, I think, something just over 45 names on it. Crucially, we have more than 40 Conservative MPs signing it, but also support from the other side of the House as well.
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