MPs should practice what they preach – and have a shorter summer holiday

One of the consequences of the early election is that Britain will find itself without a functioning parliament for six weeks at a time when arguably it has never needed one more. I am sure that many MPs will feel entitled to a holiday after yet another election campaign – or at least those who are not sent into premature retirement. But what about Parliamentary business? The Great Repeal Bill requires debate and scrutiny – and in Parliament, not the TV studio. As thing stand, Parliament will rise in the first week of May. It will then reconvene in the middle of June only to break up for the summer recess little over a month later. It will not return until October, after the party conference season. Can a serious democracy, at a time of such national importance spend the next six months with so little going on in parliament?