Too many Government MPs still not wearing masks

Yesterday in his press conference the Health Secretary Sajid Javid made clear that MPs should be wearing face masks in the chamber of the House of Commons.

This follows a surge in COVID infections and a period where virtually no Conservative MPs deigned to wear a mask in the House, despite it being the government’s own advice to do so in enclosed spaces. Today more government MPs were wearing masks but far too many still were not.

Garry Graham, Prospect deputy general secretary, said:

“It’s good to see some Tory MPs finally setting an example by wearing masks in the chamber, although far too many, including on the frontbench, are still refusing. It shouldn’t have taken a huge surge in infections for this to happen.

“As the Health Secretary said, and as unions have been saying for months, MPs have a responsibility not only to each other but to parliamentary staff and to the country as a whole to wear masks. Clear messaging is important and when people see their leaders behaving in the opposite way to their own guidance then that guidance becomes meaningless.

“The Speaker and Leader of the House still have the opportunity to step away from their devotion to tradition and impose rules on MPs. The closely observed mandated wearing of masks in the chamber would go a long way to impressing on people the urgency of the issue.”