Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Members of Parliament, including Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg, queue outside the House of Commons in Westminster as they wait to vote. Jonathan Brady/PA Wire/PA Images

'Insane idea': MPs queue and complain after being forced return to vote in the House of Commons

The government said it expected some ‘teething problems’ to the new voting system.

CHAOTIC SCENES EMERGED in the House of Commons today as MPs were forced to join a long, snaking queue to decide their voting method during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle and his officials were left repeatedly shouting instructions at MPs as social distancing measures required them to join a queue, keep two metres apart, walk through the Commons chamber and announce their vote.

The queue stretched for several hundred metres, snaking through Westminster Hall and running to Portcullis House, the newer part of the parliamentary estate.

It came as the government dropped procedures which allowed MPs to vote online and speak remotely via Zoom, thereby requiring them to appear in person to take part.

Conservative Karen Bradley, who chairs the Procedure Committee, moved an amendment to keep remote voting in place in the coming weeks, with the division list showing 31 Conservative MPs rebelled to support the proposal.

But it was defeated by 185 votes to 242, majority 57, following a 46-minute division.

MPs later approved the government’s motion to only allow them to vote in person by 261 votes to 163, majority 98.

After Bradley’s amendment to the government’s motion was pushed to a vote, Hoyle said the queuing system would continue as it is the “only method that is compatible” with government-set requirements and those from Public Health England.

coronavirus-tue-jun-2-2020 MPs queue outside the Houses of Commons in Westminster as they wait to vote. Jonathan Brady / PA Wire/PA Images Jonathan Brady / PA Wire/PA Images / PA Wire/PA Images

Confusion

Some MPs appeared confused at the new voting procedures.

Some Conservative MPs attempted to exit the chamber via the wrong door, despite being told by the Speaker moments earlier which way to go.

DUP MP Jim Shannon initially walked up to the “noes” column, before correcting himself and walking through the “ayes” section.

Several MPs, including Liberal Democrat Wera Hobhouse and Labour’s Zarah Sultana wore face coverings as they made their votes.

During the debate, Hoyle appealed for “a bit of give and take” from the government and opposition parties to ensure all MPs can continue to vote.

Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg said he would table a motion tomorrow which would enable MPs unable to attend parliament on medical grounds to take part in certain proceedings, including questions, urgent questions and ministerial statements.

coronavirus-tue-jun-2-2020 Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg queue outside the House of Commons. Jonathan Brady / PA Wire/PA Images Jonathan Brady / PA Wire/PA Images / PA Wire/PA Images

Rees-Mogg said: “The stopgap of a hybrid Parliament was a necessary compromise during the peak of the virus, but by not being here the House has not worked effectively on behalf of constituents.”

He added he expects “teething problems” with the new voting system which involves queuing, adding it will be “some time before our proceedings are fully restored”.

Concerns

Some experts have said the social distancing measures might not have been enough to mitigate any potential risk of infection spreading, especially given that they were indoors.

Linda Bauld, professor of public health at the University of Edinburgh, said it was “insane” to make MPs return to the Commons to vote.

“I thought that was a really insane idea to require people to go back into Westminster, in terms of infection controls.”

Bauld added that the science was evolving, but “it wouldn’t be outside the realm of possibility that immediately occupying the same space as somebody who’s been speaking could be a risk”.

She explained: “That wouldn’t necessarily be about the fact that they have to be coughing or sneezing.

“I think these small droplets that we emit when we breathe normally are still a risk and that’s why close contact is a risk.

“So immediately occupying the same space as somebody is probably not a great idea.”

Lawrence Young, professor of molecular oncology at Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, said the House of Commons voting process was “disturbing”.

He said: “Keeping socially distanced is important as is recognising that there is an increased risk of infection in an indoors environment where there is no breeze or air movement.

“Respiratory droplets can spread the virus (even from asymptomatic individuals) and recent work suggests that simply breathing or talking could release tiny particles which can stay suspended in the air in a fine mist produced when infected people exhale.”

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

View 13 comments
Close
13 Comments
This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy here before taking part.
Leave a Comment
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Andrew Kenny
    Favourite Andrew Kenny
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 11:33 AM

    Lucky them saving their ears from that torture.

    296
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Sea Point
    Favourite Sea Point
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 11:46 AM

    @Andrew Kenny: OK Boomer, are Crosby, Stills and Nash not touring anymore? Is that why you’re lashing out at young folk just having fun…

    201
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rodger Waters
    Favourite Rodger Waters
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 1:35 PM

    @Sea Point: Young, you forgot the most important one

    48
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Regular John
    Favourite Regular John
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 2:09 PM

    @Sea Point:
    In all fairness though, her music is shyte…

    41
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karl Keane
    Favourite Karl Keane
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 5:50 PM

    @Regular John: it keeps me up all night…

    3
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Robert Halvey
    Favourite Robert Halvey
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 11:57 AM

    What is it with powerful outspoken indecently thinking young women that , triggers so many men

    139
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martin Bishop
    Favourite Martin Bishop
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 11:59 AM

    @Robert Halvey: its because they are snowflakes and get easily upset with anything to do with Taylor Swift

    109
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan
    Favourite Alan
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 12:30 PM

    @Robert Halvey: in this case, because she is none of the things in your list. I think it is the ridiculous hype that winds people up. Swift is a prototype for a certain business model in the music industry. That’s her real significance. It began with Presley and the Beatles and is now at the stage marked by swifts marketing,merchandising machine. Worth studying but the music itself ,though popular, is nothing to write home about.

    87
    See 15 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Rochelle Hart
    Favourite Rochelle Hart
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 12:34 PM

    @Robert Halvey: Just one of many things that upsets them I’d imagine. They spend their days complaining and accusing everyone and everything of being “woke”, constantly angry.

    29
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ger Whelan
    Favourite Ger Whelan
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 12:49 PM

    @Robert Halvey: i don’t like her music. I don’t like Ed Sheerans music does that mean I’m triggered by him?

    55
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ben wu
    Favourite ben wu
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 12:50 PM

    @Alan: That’s fair, I think her music is the blandest type of pop that would never interest me. Very little pop music has any interest for me, at the best of times.
    She gets a particular level of venom directed towards her that is just not justified though. She is extremely successful and worked hard to achieve that success. She has shone a light on how artists can take control of their music, via the Taylor Versions (which, regardless of what genre or artists you or I like more, benefits from).
    Pretty sure that the most vitriolic types that attack her for doing her thing, are the same types that follow people like Andrew Tate or Trump.

    41
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Patrick MC Dermott
    Favourite Patrick MC Dermott
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 1:19 PM

    @Robert Halvey: That’s an interesting point. Why do males react so negatively to successful women?

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ben wu
    Favourite ben wu
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 1:20 PM

    @Patrick MC Dermott: ‘Males’ may, Men don’t.

    20
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Regular John
    Favourite Regular John
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 1:26 PM

    Male Taylor Swift fans getting their knickers in a twist over comments and calling other men snowflakes ?? … LOL, you couldn’t make that up !

    30
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Alan
    Favourite Alan
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 1:44 PM

    @ben wu: but then these records come out in multiple formats and the fans buy them all. Extremely cynical marketing? Plus she doesn’t write all the songs herself, so the image is a composite of various other peoples ideas. Which is fine if you make a point of indicating that. End of the line for me is her bringing her boyfriend onstage ffs lol liberation for women, that’s what I preach

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ger Whelan
    Favourite Ger Whelan
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 1:45 PM

    @Patrick MC Dermott: So because she’s a woman we have to like her music and say she’s great?

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ben wu
    Favourite ben wu
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 2:15 PM

    @Alan: As far as I know, regarding the Taylor Versions for those 6 albums, she has always had a songwriting credit, or co-contributing songwriting credit on every song. It’s literally the reason she was able to re-record them when she got blocked from buying the masters.
    There are not many major artists that can pull off that sort of move, Prince may have been one, but he chose a different road.
    That her fans bought those records, is not really of too much interest to me, and from what I’ve heard, a significant number of people that are not her fans (people that write songs) also bought them just to send a signal to the types that are buying up back catalogues just to profit off of.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karen Marten
    Favourite Karen Marten
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 2:51 PM

    @Ger Whelan: same here too much hype about them and music is over played

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karen Marten
    Favourite Karen Marten
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 2:56 PM

    @Martin Bishop: ha ha

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute James T.Kirk
    Favourite James T.Kirk
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 3:14 PM

    @Martin Bishop: More like they are baffled over peoples obsession with her.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ben wu
    Favourite ben wu
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 4:13 PM

    @James T.Kirk: Do you not find it a little odd, that the ones that post on every article about her and shout loud about how much they dislike her, are the same types that view every article and think their comment has value?

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karen Marten
    Favourite Karen Marten
    Report
    Jun 26th 2024, 10:48 AM

    @ben wu: her music all same and as for blowing his own trumpet well the world would be better place without him in it

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute ben wu
    Favourite ben wu
    Report
    Jun 26th 2024, 1:53 PM

    @Karen Marten: Music tastes are subjective. There are a lot of very successful artists for whom I have utterly no interest in. I don’t engage in disparaging them or their fans, since…why bother? Could also add that success is a metric that is objective, whether number of records sold, or number of concert goers.
    I’m fine with liking a lot of artists that don’t have pop success or mainstream recognition, I just don’t see any point in just hating on ones that I wouldn’t listen to. It seems very much like a waste of time.
    No idea what the rest of your post even means.

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dan The Man
    Favourite Dan The Man
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 11:53 AM

    I’m sure mammy and daddy will sort it out for them.

    82
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Anto Gunning
    Favourite Anto Gunning
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 2:26 PM

    No wonder the Hoteliers where giving out about the strike, they where fleecing all these people flying in for the concert.

    45
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karen Marten
    Favourite Karen Marten
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 11:58 AM

    Oh diddums so sick of hearing about her ans hearing her naff sings

    71
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute orb7eckn
    Favourite orb7eckn
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 1:00 PM

    @Karen Marten: ok Karen

    41
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karen Marten
    Favourite Karen Marten
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 2:54 PM

    @orb7eckn: and what exactly are you saying ok Karen to. Oh could it be you are calling me A Karen

    7
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Karen Marten
    Favourite Karen Marten
    Report
    Jun 26th 2024, 10:50 AM

    @Karen Marten: I’m sooo not upset .

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Anthony Curran
    Favourite Anthony Curran
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 2:01 PM

    Back in my day, a swifty was a quickly rolled joint.

    39
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Jim O'Sullivan
    Favourite Jim O'Sullivan
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 4:22 PM

    What is going on here? A person with an average voice and who puts together two and three-chord jingles is paid billions? Plato warned that the decline and fall of civilisation would be preceded by the decay of its music. Future looks grim

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute another one? what's going on is the semi state sec
    Favourite another one? what's going on is the semi state sec
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 12:41 PM

    “Shake it off…..”!!!!!

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ciaran Enright
    Favourite Ciaran Enright
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 12:41 PM

    She make a great golf club

    19
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damien O'Sullivan
    Favourite Damien O'Sullivan
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 5:20 PM

    When will this Swift nonsense end?
    It’s going on for weeks, just do your concerts and get lost.
    There are other things going on besides these First World problems

    22
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Simon Cable
    Favourite Simon Cable
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 2:24 PM

    Great.. Might be a few cheap tickets available then.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Gareth Parkgate
    Favourite Gareth Parkgate
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 1:35 PM

    I only ever seen her eye glitch but I’ve never heard her voice and there’s a reason for that.

    14
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Padraig O'Brien
    Favourite Padraig O'Brien
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 1:50 PM

    Ahh boo and hoo too!

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Patrick Presley
    Favourite Patrick Presley
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 4:29 PM

    Dear Friends in Music,
    As a Non-Touring Independent Artist, it’s difficult to grow a fan base.
    I’m looking for your help in building a bigger following on Spotify.
    I would be very grateful if you could open the link below and click the FOLLOW BUTTON and then click the follow button on my Spotify page.
    Very much appreciated,
    Thank you
    Patrick

    https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/patrickwestman/all-my-colours-fade-to-blue

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Smith
    Favourite John Smith
    Report
    Jun 25th 2024, 3:26 PM

    Oh, the Humanity!

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute AnthonyK
    Favourite AnthonyK
    Report
    Jun 26th 2024, 9:49 AM

    Bought two tickets, not for me I hasten to add, but have listened to a few of her songs, and she’s not bad. More a Zep fan myself, with a bit of Mahler or Boulez thrown in for good measure, but now when she comes on the radio, I don’t turn the dial as they say.

    1
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.

Leave a commentcancel

 
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds