Keir Starmer curfew rebellion
The battle lines for a soon to be held vote in parliament on the 10pm hospitality curfew were set in a volatile Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday. Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer set the tone when he accused the Prime Minister of incompetence. The incompetence being referred to was in relation to no evidence being forthcoming to support the curfew.
Amidst the heated debate the Labour leader challenged Boris Johnson by asking: “One question is now screaming out – is there a scientific basis for the 10pm rule? The public deserve to know, Parliament deserves to know, if there is why doesn’t the government do itself a favour and publish it?” Johnson’s reply was classic Johnson, not answering the question and babbling the same old phrases and party rhetoric that many of his own back benchers are now almost as tired of as most others in the house.
“Is there a scientific basis for the 10pm rule?” asks Labour’s Keir Starmer
“The basis on which we set out the curtailment of hospitality was the basis on which he accepted it two weeks ago,” says PM Boris Johnson “to reduce the spread of the virus”#PMQs https://t.co/N33tcd90SJ pic.twitter.com/p6SUbZdHnR
— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) October 7, 2020
There is much dissatisfaction on the Tory benches currently about Covid restrictions and particularly the 10pm curfew.
Labour is pushing for a vote on the validity of the 10pm closing time curfew, and whether to keep it or not on Monday 12 October, the government as yet has not confirmed the date.
Labour has to date largely sided with most government Covid-19 policy and it is not yet clear if the vote is held, how labour would whip their vote.
Which Tory MP’s are set to rebel against the 10pm curfew also remains unclear despite ‘a potential rebellion’ being widely tipped. Senior Tory MP Desmond Swayne has made his viewpoint clear and described the curfew as simply “a huge mistake”.
As well as Labour and Tory rebels questioning the 10pm curfew, five unnamed DUP MP’s have made it clear they will join the Tory rebels in voting against the curfew.
In the days ahead more pressure will undoubtedly be heaped on the government to justify scientifically the steps taken to close pubs and restaurants at 10pm. Whether any heed is taken by them unless voted down, which is unlikely, is even less clear.
To make matters potentially even worse for hospitality, the steps taken yesterday by Nicola Sturgeon in Scotland, imposing a circuit break on hospitality across Scotland could also be followed in England.
Laura Kuenssberg, Political editor for The BBC yesterday afternoon wrote, in an all too informed for comfort tone, that England may follow Scotland closing pubs across the country. Kuenssberg reported: ‘The Treasury is already looking at financial support for the different options, including not just closing pubs in the most affected areas, but potentially well beyond.’
We, like all in hospitality can only hope that sufficient pressure continues to be put on Boris Johnson and his government to avoid further catastrophic measures being forced on an already battered and bruised hospitality industry.
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Hospitality & Catering News: Keir Starmer curfew rebellion – 8 October 2020 – Keir Starmer curfew rebellion
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