A ‘motion of regret’ directed at the Covid regulations (the Lords way of giving the government a slap on the wrists) was rejected by the Lords despite a lot of angry Conservative peers. Labour abstained.

The government is using draconian powers to deal with the Covid crisis instead of putting its energy into generating agreement. The result has been rushed laws that are a 100% misapplied, along with whole blocks of legislation that have been passed but never used. Parliament was bounced into passing the laws without scrutiny and the government has never allowed for any. At no point in the last six months have the Lords debated the current rules on Covid 19, as by the time they are scheduled for discussion, the government are already operating under a new set.

The coercive elements of the Act should be repealed (Section 51 and Schedule 21). They are no longer necessary, arguably were never necessary, and have never been used lawfully. The Crown Prosecution Service took the unprecedented step of regularly reviewing every prosecution made under the Act, and not a single prosecution was lawful. People have been wrongly prosecuted and wrongly convicted under this rushed and chaotic legislation. A law that results in 100% wrongful convictions should be repealed immediately. 

Parliament passed this Act at lightning speed, as Emergency Legislation, because the Government assured us that these measures were absolutely necessary and highly urgent to fight the virus. Measures which have never lawfully been used in the six months since are neither necessary nor urgent. Repeal Section 51 and Schedule 21.