The Houses of Parliament should become virtual, forever

At 1330 BST today Members of the Houses of Parliament will vote on maintaining the ‘virtual’ House of Commons.

During lockdown the House of Commons, in which the UK’s elected officials sit, conduct votes and have offices, has been operating like the rest of the world – using teleconferencing and remote working.

Ostensibly these arrangements have proven difficult for Members of Parliament (MPs). According to BBC reports, “The government says virtual tools allowing members to debate and vote digitally have been ineffective and will be ‘better done face-to-face’. But critics say the government plan will exclude vulnerable MPs and those with caring responsibilities.”

In fact the virtual House ought to be extended forever. The gross expenditure of the House of Commons was ￡286.3 million in 2018 – 19.

MPs must be housed in London in order to accommodate them. They also need houses in their constituencies which they are voted on to represent in general elections. There are also the costs of travelling to and from their constituencies. This creates unnecessary costs for taxpayers.

When plans were made to repair the crumbling building of the Houses of Commons and Lords, the refurbishments were estimated to be between ￡3.5 billion and ￡5.6 billion.

These costs could be significnatly reduced if the Houses of Parliament were to be run virtually from MPs' constituencies, rather than shipping them in and housing them in the bubble of Westminister.

During lockdown, parliamentary debates were notable for their orderly conduct and Prime Ministers questions were clear and efficient exchanges.

By contrast, during debates on site at the House of Commons, MPs are typically a baying mob inhibiting the very discourse they claim to support. Shouting people down is not allowed in the classroom; it is certainly not fitting for adults in serious, political debate.

What the world of business has realised during lockdown is that it can function well remotely.

Politicians in the UK need to accept that any problems they have encountered in this process can and should be remedied easily. The House has been improved by remote working, and any communications that MPs have felt they lacked can be worked around.

Having a more expensive, less efficient political system is not in the interests of the British public. MPs should live and work in their constituencies.

The House of Commons should become a virtual House now, and for the future.

Opinions expressed in this article are the writer's own and do not reflect those of his employers.