Business of the House

Emma Lewell-Buck Excerpts

Thursday 24th September 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

I do not think anybody in the House would disagree with the hon. Lady in the objective she is trying to achieve. It is worth pointing out that more than 100,000 people started treatment for cancer during the pandemic. Indeed, in my constituency the Circle Bath Hospital took the cancer patients from Bath’s Royal United Hospital as an exclusive cancer hospital for a period to try to ensure that people got the treatment they needed. I encourage individuals to go to their doctors if they have any concerns. They are entitled to do that and they should not be nervous about going to see their doctor, and urgent referrals are now receiving checks.

[Mrs Emma Lewell-Buck (South Shields) (Lab) [V]]

It is well known that weak leaders often blame the public in order to divide communities and deflect from their own failings. Another worrying trait of weak leadership is threatening military enforcement. As a member of the Cabinet, can the Leader of the House explain what the military enforcement announced this week by the Prime Minister will exactly entail?

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

I think that intervention was rather more parti pris than we are accustomed to in business questions. We have incredibly strong and effective leadership—leadership that is prepared to take difficult decisions and is willing to take decisions that go against the grain of the philosophy of the Conservative party. Why is that? It is because in these circumstances they are the decisions necessary to safeguard the nation and to help people to save lives. So I think we have strong and effective leadership. I would point out that more than 4,300 police officers have been taken on to support the police in doing this, and that that proposals for support from the Army relate to back-office roles and back-filling to help the police. This is not a proposal as the hon. Lady seems to be thinking about for any more extreme measures.