Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross Liberal Democrat MP, Jamie Stone, accuses Leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, of 'poxy stubbornness' over move to scrap remote debates and voting for MPs during Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown
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A ROSS MP has slammed the move to scrap remote sittings of the House of Commons during the coronavirus lockdown.
The move, which is due to take effect today, has drawn criticism from some parties as being reckless and been branded by some as a political move to get more vocal support behind Prime Minister Boris Johnson when he speaks in the chamber.
The Leader of the House of Commons, Jacob Rees-Mogg, this afternoon insisted that "if Parliament is to deliver on the people's priorities it must sit physically".
However, numerous MPs - particularly those based in areas that have been hit less severely by Covid-19 - have raised fears over the measure's potential to spread the virus further, especially when the House of Commons has seen numerous MPs fall ill with the potentially fatal virus.
They worry that more will become infected, and then risk transporting it back into their own constituencies. They have also cited the risk of infecting staff and families.
Several have also pointed out that if the Commons was a normal employer, the move might also have fallen foul of discrimination laws.
Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross MP Jamie Stone, responding to Mr Rees-Mogg's comments this afternoon, accused him of "poxy stubbornness" by refusing to let those who wished to vote or debate from remote locations.
He said: "I’m a carer for my wife. You’re asking me to choose between the health of my family and abiding by your poxy stubbornness.
"I choose to fulfil my duties as a husband and family man."
His remarks had drawn mostly positive comments on Twitter at the time of writing.
Andrew Barnell said: "I ought the "virtual" Parliament of the last few weeks worked very well. Rees-Mogg just wants the childish baying to return behind the PM."
Another account, HP, said: "The fact that the government is asking you to make that choice is absurd in any modern democracy".
And Totoro added: "Well said. Good for you. This is discriminatory and epidemiologically insane, and for what? To show the virus how hard we are? They need to put the health of House of Commons staff, MPs, their constituency staff and us back home in the constituencies first and foremost."
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