MPs demand Boris Johnson bring them BACK to Parliament over mutant Coronavirus & Dover chaos

MPS demanded Boris Johnson drag them back to Parliament today as the PM faced a triple whammy of chaos over Dover, the rapidly spreading mutant coronavirus and ongoing Brexit deadlock.

Politicians lined up to say the PM should recall them back to Westminster to deal with the ongoing crisis – and challenge the Government.


MPs demand Boris Johnson bring them BACK to Parliament over mutant Coronavirus & Dover chaos
MPs are demanding to go back to Parliament
MPs demand Boris Johnson bring them BACK to Parliament over mutant Coronavirus & Dover chaos
Lorries queue up at Dover as the border remains shut
MPs demand Boris Johnson bring them BACK to Parliament over mutant Coronavirus & Dover chaos
London is now in another lockdown of Tier 4

And backbenchers are grumbling over the latest coronavirus strain – accusing ministers of keeping them in the dark and acting strategically to force the country into another lockdown.

Sir Desmond Swayne said this morning that scientists have been looking at the new strain since September, and demanded a vote on the emergency Tier 4 which was brought in at the last moment on Saturday night.

He told Radio 4: “How convenient when Parliament went into recess on Thursday suddenly they were then able to produce this revelation.

“Let’s see the evidence then, let’s have Parliament back and show us and convince us. Come clean.”

He added: “I want Parliament to be recalled so we can scrutinise properly in a democracy decisions that are being made which affect our economy radically and our liberty.”

He said the Government were running scared as they weren’t sure of the evidence, adding: “What’s government frightened of? Frightened of its Parliament?”

Boris faces a nightmare before Christmas today as:

  • France shut the border with the UK – forcing lorries with goods to line up for hours on both sides
  • It was feared food supplies may be affected within hours – with Sainsburys warning about veg and fruit in the run up to Christmas
  • Millions were stranded or unable to travel after a string of countries banned flights to the UK over the new coronavirus strain
  • A third of the country was plunged into Tier 4 yesterday – effectively another lockdown – cancelling Christmas for thousands of families
  • MPs demanded a vote be held as soon as possible
  • More than £33 billion was wiped off the FTSE 100 within minutes of opening over the chaos

Former minister Tim Loughton also joined calls for a recall.

He told the BBC last night: “I think Parliament does need to go back and discuss this and be able to scrutinise the government much more closely.

“We need to be much more transparent on this and there needs to be logic and consistency in some of the measures being brought forward and I don’t think there’s complete logic and consistency in some of the changes to Christmas itself.”

But Grant Shapps insisted the Government had acted as quickly as it could over the new strain – which is said to spread up to 70 per cent more easily.

He insisted: “You almost couldn’t have been faster about it.”

SUPER STRAIN


MPs demand Boris Johnson bring them BACK to Parliament over mutant Coronavirus & Dover chaos

 

Several countries including France, Canada, Italy, India and Denmark have cancelled flights between their countries and the UK – over the new coronavirus strain.

Boris plunged a third of the nation into effective lockdown on Saturday over the fears, forcing an exodus of Londoners leaving the capital ahead of the law change.

He said the new strain, which was first identified in September, was up to 70 per cent more transmissible.

Mr Shapps said this morning of a group of 15 at a wedding, 11 have tested positive with no symptoms – and this was likely to be a glimpse of what the country has to now grapple with.

Several other countries have already said they have identified the strain there too, showing it has been spreading for weeks.

Scientists only managed to properly examine the genomic sequences last week – and immediately went to Boris Johnson with their findings when they had more information.

So far they don’t think it will be resistant to the vaccine, but have stressed it’s spreading even more easily than before.

NO MERCI

This morning France said it hoped to reopen the border within hours – after sparking utter chaos by refusing to let lorry drivers in.

Transport minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari said a protocol would be adopted at a European Union-wide level “to ensure that movement from the UK can resume”.

It’s likely that all truckers going into France will have to take a Covid test to prove they are safe.


MPs demand Boris Johnson bring them BACK to Parliament over mutant Coronavirus & Dover chaos
Lorries were told not to travel to Dover from 11pm last night
MPs demand Boris Johnson bring them BACK to Parliament over mutant Coronavirus & Dover chaos
France stopped anyone going through over fears for the new strain of the virus

PANIC STATIONS

And the news has already sparked chaos in Britain this morning, with worried Brits already pictured outside supermarkets to grab food and supplies despite supermarkets already issuing warnings yesterday to not panic buy as the new Tier system came into force.

Despite the rain, queues were seen outside one Waitrose store in Henleaze, near Bristol, in the early hours of today.

Another said the queue at their local supermarket was the “biggest for eight months”.

And a third Brit shared a snap of him waiting with other shoppers at 5.50am to get toilet paper – while others reported shelves being “stripped”.


One Brit shared a photograph of people queuing outside shops at 5.50am
One Brit shared a photograph of people queuing outside shops at 5.50am

The huge queues have started to form just days before Christmas
The huge queues have started to form just days before Christmas

Meanwhile Brexit talks continue with no end in sight.

A deadline of yesterday set by Brussels was missed, meaning MEPs may not be able to pass it in time before the New Year.

Both sides will be locked in talks again today – but it’s unclear if they are making much progress at all.