UK parliament moves to 'hybrid' sessions under lockdown
The UK Parliament will move to a hybrid format while a nationwide lockdown continues - after it was agreed on Tuesday (April 21).
Tuesday's sitting saw only a handful of lawmakers attending in person and more than 100 others joining virtually.
House of Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg told parliament that the new arrangements will initially be in place until May 12, but may have to be renewed.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) LEADER OF THE UK HOUSE OF COMMONS, JACOB REES-MOGG, SAYING: (INCLUDES MULTIPLE ANGLES)
"The ability to hold the government to account, the ability to seek redress of grievance, the ability to take up those matters brought to us by our constituents so that they may be put right is best done when this house sits. In 1349, when the Black Death affected this country, parliament couldn't sit, and didn't. The session was cancelled. Thanks to modern technology, even I have moved on from 1349, and I'm glad to say that we can sit to carry out these fundamental constitutional functions, and I'm enormously grateful to many who are just as traditionalist as I am who have accepted these constraints."
The House of Commons will sit on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Under the proposed system, just 50 of the 650 members will be allowed into the chamber and they'll be kept apart to enforce social distancing rules.
Another 120 will be selected to appear by Zoom.
The rest will have to watch silently from home.
