'Zombie parliament': Why is Westminster so quiet?
By Harry Horton, ITV News Political Correspondent
It’s hot, stuffy, and - bar the crowds of tourists - almost deserted. I’m in parliament on a Thursday lunchtime - but in truth, I could have picked any day.
This feels like the new normal. It’s been a very quiet week in Westminster.
On Tuesday, the House of Commons sat at 11.30am and adjourned at 2.20pm.
On Monday, the only business debated by MPs was that brought forward by backbenchers.
On Wednesday, the chamber sat half empty for a second-tier PMQs - the fourth Rishi Sunak has missed in 226 days as leader.
At 3.40pm on Thursday, the House of Commons - with just six MPs sat on the government benches - the few MPs left in Westminster packed up and left for their constituencies.
As one senior MP put it to me this week: “This is a zombie parliament, and it’ll be like this until the election.”
In recent months the government has dropped its proposed Kept Animals Bill, abandoned plans to scrap EU laws by the end of this year, and ditched its Schools Bill.
This isn’t to say MPs and government aren’t doing any work. Many MPs relish the opportunity to spend more time dealing with casework and spending time in their constituency ahead of an expected election next year.
And as Rishi Sunak is determined to keep reminding us, the government is focused on delivering on five pledges (and getting children to learn more maths).
But passing legislation doesn’t appear to be high on the list of priorities for government.
When David Cameron was prime minister, political adviser Lynton Crosby famously advised him to “get the barnacles off the boat” - meaning he should focus on his core policies and ditch anything that might distract from that.
Many in Westminster feel Rishi Sunak is following this same advice.
In truth, the prime minister is somewhat constrained in what he can do in parliament.
Four years, two prime ministers, a global pandemic, and war in Europe later, much of the Conservative manifesto from 2019 is no longer as relevant as it was.
And if he attempted to pursue any legislation that strayed too far from that manifesto, the warring Conservative factions of last year that Rishi Sunak has so far managed to tame could threaten to rebel once more.
This morning, Labour’s shadow leader of the house, Thangam Debonnaire told MPs: “The House has regularly risen early for months because of thin Government business… How are Tory Ministers spending their time?
"Clearly not delivering in their Departments. Are they racing home to watch daytime TV instead?”
The prime minister’s deputy spokesperson denied that was the case: “There is a number of important pieces of legislation going through the house that the government is fully committed to, not least the stop the boats bill and procurement bill."
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