If the parliamentary diary for this week is anything to go by, the next few days are going to be very quiet in Westminster. There is hardly any legislation in the Commons, save for the exciting and largely pointless circus of Private Members’ Bills on Friday, and a series of votes on estimates – public spending by government departments. It’s almost as though the government’s mind is entirely elsewhere.
Given how fractious the Tory party is at the moment after a week of insults in the EU referendum campaign, it seems odd that ministers would want to leave MPs even less occupied, with even more time to buzz about in Portcullis House, plotting and grumbling together. Odder still that they might want to introduce a piece of legislation that will set some Tory MPs, including some prominent troublemakers, on a collision course with ministers. The so-called Snooper’s Charter is expected to be introduced to the Commons this week, with a number of Tory MPs concerned about its content.
Perhaps ministers hope that the legislation will make life even more difficult for Labour than it will for their own side, given Andy Burnham initially welcomed the legislation before hurriedly adding lots of concerns about it, presumably at the behest of Jeremy Corbyn. The Bill could upset Tory backbenchers, but it could leave the Opposition tied in knots too. Though given where the Opposition is generally at the moment, it might be difficult to see a noticeable difference.
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