Guido has got his hands on the wording of the Brady amendment circulating among Tory MPs. As expected, the aim of the amendment is to allow MPs to debate and vote on new national Coronavirus measures. Tory rebels are seeking to append the Government’s statutory motion to make a strong statement about the intent of Parliament. Guido hears the proposals are popular, with MPs who have never rebelled before joining the ranks…
One organiser tells Guido they would much prefer to reach accommodation with the government, than force a defeat on them. The amendment will be tabled tonight and appear on tomorrow’s order paper. Or you can read it today on Guido…
Labour is being tight-lipped on whether or not they will back the plan, while the SNP is keeping the matter “under consideration”. If, as expected, Sir Lindsay Hoyle accepts the amendment this could be an easy defeat of the Government. A tempting prospect for opposition parties, unless of course No. 10 accepts that parliamentary scrutiny is a good thing and allow it anyway…
Read it in full here:
Prior parliamentary scrutiny of major national coronavirus regulations
Line [1], leave out from “expire” to end and add “provided Ministers ensure as far as is reasonably practicable that in the exercise of their powers to tackle the pandemic under the Coronavirus Act 2020 and other primary legislation, including for example Part 2A of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984, Parliament has an opportunity to debate and to vote upon any secondary legislation with effect in the whole of England or the whole United Kingdom before it comes into effect.”
Member’s explanatory statement
This amendment appends to the statutory motion, Section 98.2 of the Coronavirus Act, a provision that Parliament shall have the opportunity to debate and vote upon secondary legislation of major national importance before it comes into effect. The amendment makes clear Parliament’s intent to renew the powers of the Coronavirus Act with this provision.
UPDATE: The full amendment has now been published, naming 46 signatories including 40 Tory MPs – enough to defeat the Government if opposition parties back it. See the names in full here:
