Watch: Speaker blasts Boris over Covid laws

Back when John Bercow was in the Commons’ hot seat, a Tory telling-off was part of the daily run of events. Things have changed under his replacement Lindsay Hoyle. But today the speaker took no prisoners as he berated the government over its use of emergency coronavirus powers. 

At the start of PMQs today, Hoyle accused ministers of showing ‘total disregard’ and ‘contempt’ for parliament. He said:

‘The way in which the government has exercised its powers…during this crisis has been totally unsatisfactory. All too often, important statutory instruments have been published a matter of hours before they come into force. The government must make greater efforts to prepare measures more quickly so that this House can debate and decide…’

Despite the rebuke, there was some good news for the Prime Minister however: Hoyle confirmed that he would not select the Brady amendment on the grounds that there was not enough time to debate it. Boris will probably take the telling-off…