In advance of the next six-month review of the Coronavirus Act 2020 (due at the end of September), we have just published “Parliament’s One-Year Review of the Coronavirus Act 2020: Another Example of Parliament’s Marginalisation in the Covid-19 Pandemic” in The Political Quarterly. In this paper we consider the last such six-monthly review (i.e. the one-year review) and argue … Continue reading “NEW PUBLICATION: On Parliament’s Marginalisation and the Six-Monthly Reviews of the Coronavirus Act 2020”
Category: Parliamentary debate
Accountability and the Government’s New Approach to COVID-19
The last few weeks have seen a comprehensive upheaval of the Government’s approach to COVID-19. In addition to a change in the Secretary of State for Health, there has also been a marked change in tone, which has shifted from imploring individuals to ‘follow the rules’, to emphasising ‘personal responsibility’ while committing to the … Continue reading “Accountability and the Government’s New Approach to COVID-19”
Human Rights and COVID-19 in PMQs: Reflections on One Year of the Pandemic
As part of CVRO’s assessment of COVID-19 Review, we have carried out an analysis of ‘Prime Minister’s Questions’ (PMQs) during the pandemic. The purpose of the analysis is to track the role of human rights principles and discourse in these weekly Parliamentary sessions. PMQs as a mode of accountability PMQs take place every sitting Wednesday from … Continue reading “Human Rights and COVID-19 in PMQs: Reflections on One Year of the Pandemic”
A New Coronavirus Committee for Westminster?
Today the NGO Liberty has published its proposal for a new legislative framework to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic: their Coronavirus (Rights and Support) Bill. They propose that such a Bill would replace the Coronavirus Act 2020, which comes up for renewal at the end of March. While the proposed new Bill is expansive in … Continue reading “A New Coronavirus Committee for Westminster?”
Protecting Parliament’s Place in the Announcement of Covid-Related Policies: New Restrictions announced in Scotland
On 4 January First Minister of Scotland (“FMS”) announced additional restrictions for mainland Scotland, which had been on level 4 restrictions. The FMS pointed out that these new restrictions imposed a “temporary lockdown”, with “a legal requirement to stay at home except for essential purposes”. The new regulations were made on 4 January under the … Continue reading “Protecting Parliament’s Place in the Announcement of Covid-Related Policies: New Restrictions announced in Scotland”