LIVE: Transport secretary Grant Shapps says face coverings will be mandatory on public transport from 15 June - Sky News

Rees-Mogg faces calls to resign as he faces angry MPs over return to parliament

Jacob Rees-Mogg faced calls to resign as he fielded questions from MPs angry at the government bringing them back to Westminster during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Commons leader was challenged by opposition MPs about the "shambolic" long queues which some have dubbed the "coronavirus conga".

Alistair Carmichael, a Liberal Democrat former minister, compared the scene to "exercise hour in a category C prison for white collar criminals"

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has granted Mr Carmichael's application for an emergency debate on Monday on how the chamber will operate during the COVID-19 outbreak, meaning Mr Rees-Mogg will face more opposition anger.

The government's decision to end the virtual proceedings, which saw MPs contribute remotely via Zoom and vote online, has proven unpopular.

With MPs in some cases now having to travel hundreds of miles between Westminster and their constituencies, fears have been raised about potentially spreading COVID-19 further.

These worries were heightened on Wednesday when Business Secretary Alok Sharma left a Commons debate to undergo a test for coronavirus.

But Prime Minister Boris Johnson has defended the move.

Speaking at PMQs on Wednesday, he said MPs should consider "what is really going on throughout the country", with Britons "getting used to queuing for long periods of time to do their shopping or whatever it happens to be".

The PM continued: "I do not think it's unreasonable that we should ask parliamentarians to come back to this place and do their job for the people of this country."

Mr Johnson has said that elderly MPs or those who are shielding will be allowed to vote by proxy, a change in stance from earlier in the week.

But the concession has not quelled the anger among some MPs.

Let's block ads! (Why?)

https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMia2h0dHBzOi8vbmV3cy5za3kuY29tL3N0b3J5L2xpdmUtdHJhbnNwb3J0LXNlY3JldGFyeS1ncmFudC1zaGFwcHMtbGVhZHMtbGF0ZXN0LWNvcm9uYXZpcnVzLWJyaWVmaW5nLTEyMDAwNTky0gFvaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzLnNreS5jb20vc3RvcnkvYW1wL2xpdmUtdHJhbnNwb3J0LXNlY3JldGFyeS1ncmFudC1zaGFwcHMtbGVhZHMtbGF0ZXN0LWNvcm9uYXZpcnVzLWJyaWVmaW5nLTEyMDAwNTky?oc=5

2020-06-04 16:07:30Z
52780832216880