MPs vote to extend emergency coronavirus powers for another six months
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MPs have voted to extend the government’s emergency Covid powers for a further six months.
The 2020 Coronavirus Act was passed by 484 votes to 76, handing the government a majority of 408.
It comes despite opposition from a group of rebel Tory backbenchers who argued that the extension could result in further lockdowns.
The Coronavirus Act was introduced as a temporary measure in March last year to grant minsters emergency powers during the pandemic. It hands the government the ability to enforce Covid restrictions such as national lockdowns, “stay at home orders” and the closure of schools.
The extension does not mean lockdown restrictions are set to be rolled over until October, but that the government will retain the power to enforce sweeping measures at any time during the extension period.
The Prime Minister has insisted that all Covid restrictions are due to expire on 21 June under his roadmap for leaving lockdown.
Ahead of the vote, health secretary Matt Hancock refused to rule out extending the legislation for a further six months from October.
“When we do come to retire this Act, which we must within one year and preferably within six months, we will need to make sure that we can continue to do that sort of thing and make sure that nurses can be enrolled as easily as possible into the NHS,” he said.
Hancock added: “But I cannot answer whether we will be retiring it in six months. My preference would be yes, but given the last year, I think a prediction would be hasty.”
His comments were met with furious backlash from members of the lockdown-sceptic Covid Recovery Group (CRG), who described the Act as “draconian”.
CRG leader and former chief whip Mark Harper said the “extraordinary provision” should expire “at the earliest opportunity”.
Steve Baker, deputy chairman of the CRG, urged his fellow Conservative MPs to vote against the bill, claiming they provided a “rare opportunity for MPs to say no to a new way of life in a checkpoint society, under extreme police powers, that we would not have recognised at the beginning of last year.”
The Liberal Democrats also voted against the extension, with leader Ed Davey accusing the government of trying to secure a “blank cheque” for introducing new restrictions.