Ahead of today’s House of Commons Motion to progress plans for MPs to vote remotely whilst social distancing measures remain in place, Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokesperson Wendy Chamberlain said: “Parliamentary scrutiny is more important than ever during the coronavirus crisis, especially given the emergency powers needed to keep people safe.
“It is right that, like everyone else, MPs stay at home as much as possible to protect the NHS and save lives. Changes to allow MPs to vote remotely are therefore absolutely vital and Liberal Democrats have been calling for them since the start of this crisis.
“Now Parliament must put in place the procedures to make remote voting a reality as soon as possible, so that MPs can do our jobs and pass urgently needed legislation to improve people’s lives. Secure access to remote voting for all MPs must be in place before the Government tries to bring any legislation through the House of Commons.
“It shouldn’t have taken a pandemic to drag Parliament into the 21st century. Liberal Democrats have been working for years to make Parliament more accessible and will continue to do so.”