It isn’t clear how many Tory MPs will rebel against the new tiered system of Covid restrictions this evening, not least because the Covid Recovery Group has said it isn’t whipping its members. Senior CRG members are suggesting there could be 30 to 40 MPs in the ‘no’ lobbies tonight, which could be expectation management, as the whips are trying to talk the numbers up.
But one thing is clear: ministers have not made it easier for would-be rebels to climb down. The publication of the government’s impact assessment last night was widely derided, not least because it didn’t really contain an assessment of the economic impact at all. To add further insult to injury, today’s Times
reports that there is a ‘secret dossier’ detailing the economic impacts to different sectors, which has not been made available to MPs.
At Treasury Questions just now, Mel Stride, who chairs the Treasury Select Committee, asked the Chancellor for more details of this analysis, asking: ‘Given the vote tonight, could I ask my right honourable friend why this analysis has not been published?’
Rishi Sunak replied by referring to ‘the analysis we did publish’, saying this did provide specific links to information.
Britain’s best politics newsletters
You get two free articles each week when you sign up to The Spectator’s emails.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in