At least three Labour frontbenchers including Rachel Reeves are among a string of MPs to have tested positive for Covid this week, amid concerns about parliamentarians crowding into the House of Commons for votes on “plan B” restrictions for England. Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, is also isolating after developing mild symptoms on Monday morning and receiving a positive PCR test on Tuesday. Reeves, the shadow chancellor, said she was awaiting the result of a PCR test and would miss Tuesday’s votes. Jim McMahon, the shadow environment secretary, and Bridget Phillipson, the shadow education secretary, also revealed they had tested positive. Two more Labour MPs – Emma Hardy and Feryal Clark – are isolating, while two Tory MPs – Darren Henry and Dean Russell – also revealed they would be missing the debate and votes because they had tested positive. The Scottish National party’s Douglas Chapman is also isolating.
With so many absences, Peter Grant, an SNP MP, raised concerns about MPs continuing to crowd together through the lobbies in the Commons on Tuesday. “This evening in the parliament that claims to be a shining beacon for all others, the only way to pass regulations to try and get Omicron Covid back under control will be for about 400 people to pack into a room big enough for 100 to record their votes,” he said. “They’ll do this up to four times in succession. In between, they won’t be able to go too far so will pack out the lobbies at either end of the chamber waiting for the next vote to be called. “Several MPs have tested positive for Covid in the last few days so there’s a very high probability that others are carrying the virus but have not yet shown symptoms or given a positive test. What could possibly go wrong?” MPs are not able to vote by proxy if they are unwell, after the cancellation of hybrid proceedings that allowed them to vote remotely earlier this year. Labour opposed the move to get rid of hybrid proceedings but has not recently called for their reinstatement. At least 30 MPs have publicly declared within the past two months that they have had Covid, although the number who have been isolating is said by multiple party sources to be much higher than that. It is not compulsory for MPs to wear masks in the Commons. Most were wearing face coverings in a debate on Covid restrictions on Tuesday, apart from a handful of Conservatives.