Tory Health Secretary Matt Hancock
MPs WILL be able to vote on any national coronavirus lockdown measures before they come into force, Health Secretary Matt Hancock promised today in a bid to ward off a Tory revolt.
His pledge came after ministers were reprimanded by Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle for “showing total disregard for the House” by enforcing restrictions without scrutiny or enough notice.
During the debate on the renewal of the Coronavirus Act after being in place for six months, shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said that Mr Hancock’s pledge counted for nothing if it was not on paper.
As peers prepare to debate reform of the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act, Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi leads a bid to end the criminalisation of women who end pregnancies at home. LYNNE WALSH reports
JOHN LANG recalls how Murdoch used scabbing electricians and even devised a fake newspaper to force a confrontation with printers – then sacked them all
DEIRDRE O’CONNOR warns about a big shift in how freedom of speech and protest are treated in new policy document before Parliament today