A senior Tory MP has accused the government of deliberately waiting until parliament was no longer sitting to cancel Christmas for millions, as backbench anger over tougher restrictions intensified.
Ministers insist that MPs will not be brought back to Westminster to debate emergency measures introduced in the early hours of yesterday, despite promises to let parliament vote on significant national measures.
Many Tory MPs are furious about the lack of notice for the new measures.
Sir Charles Walker, vice-chairman of the Tory backbench 1922 Committee, accused ministers of hiding from parliamentary scrutiny. “I suspect the government knew they were going to cancel Christmas on Wednesday and Thursday when they were still telling the House of Commons they planned to press ahead,” he told BBC
