For Alistair Carmichael, returning to Westminster for tomorrow’s reopening is more complicated than the tube journeys of some of his peers. Carmichael, the Lib Dem MP for Orkney and Shetland, will have to travel 18 hours to return to London, a journey that comprises of two trains and a plane. He is just one of many MPs protesting the government’s decision to reopen parliament in the eleventh week of lockdown.
While the government has insisted that they have taken measures to ensure the safety of their MPs within the chamber, it is not yet clear how they expect MPs to travel to Westminster safely.
According to commons leader, Jacob Rees-Mogg, the semi-virtual commons, which allowed MPs to contribute to the chamber from afar, was a poor replacement for the real thing.
Vicky Foxcroft, Labour MP and shadow minister for disabilities, has said that ending the “hybrid” parliament is encouraging her to make a potentially dangerous choice. Foxcroft has said that: "We have been disenfranchised, we cannot fulfil our roles. We should be leading by example and not exclude people with disabilities.”
Meanwhile, Carmichael has responded to the reopening in kind: "I think we can continue with the virtual Parliament until it is a safe for everyone to return.
"The reasons for not doing that seems to have more to do with internal Tory party management than to do with government accountability."
He has been forced to make the decision to remain in London for the foreseeable in order to keep his family and his community safe, and to reduce the number of times he has to make the 18 hour commute.
On the other hand, Sir Graham Brady, MP for Altrincham and Sale West, is “perfectly happy” with the Commons response to social distancing. He notes that the "scrutiny of government has been less effective" has been less effective during lockdown, continuing that "It makes perfect sense to move back towards proper physical sittings.”
Sir Graham’s constituency is three hours away from London by train, just one sixth of the time fellow MP Alistair Carmichael will have to travel tomorrow.
