Tory MPs vent over the government’s two-metre rule

Any remaining doubts where most of the Conservative party sits on the government’s two-metre rule was put to bed with today’s Commons debate on the issue. Tory MPs lined up this afternoon to criticise the social distancing policy, and in many cases call for it to go immediately.

Although the government has attempted to calm the party by putting the two-metre rule under review, MPs are increasingly impatient over its existence and view it as the number one problem policy. Speaking in today’s debate, several Conservative MPs didn’t just call for it to go once the review was completed but for it to face the axe today. Former minister Tobias Ellwood said ‘one metre is the right decision, now is the right time – not in two weeks’. Others including John Redwood also pushed for it to be cut to one metre now.

While others were slightly more sympathetic to the government’s position, the recurring line from Tory MPs is that it needs to go by the time the hospitality industry is permitted to reopen in part. Ministers were warned of the devastating impact on pubs and restaurants of keeping the rule in place – with a preference for the World Health Organisation approved one-metre rule to replace it. William Wragg made the point that a reduction in social distancing demands would also make it easier to get schools to return. Michael Fabricant stood out as a Conservative MP urging caution, pointing to increased infections abroad as reason to proceed carefully.

The responding minister Ed Argar refused when asked by Greg Clark to even say that the government review will have reached its conclusion by the time the hospitality industry is expected to be allowed to return at the beginning of July. However, the mood music in government is more optimistic. There has been an effort in recent days by both the Chancellor and the Foreign Secretary to say that the decision is a political one the Prime Minister must make – rather than one that will be dictated by Public Health England. Judging by today’s outing in the Chamber, there is another factor for the government when making the decision – the longer the rule stays in place, the grumpier the Tory party becomes.