Right-wing Tory MP John Redwood earned praise from some unexpected quarters this morning when he complained about Commons business apparently being cancelled until October 17 following the death of the Queen.
The former cabinet minister tweeted that the “current plan” was for parliament not to sit again until after the Labour and Conservative party conferences.
Labour’s is in Liverpool from September 25 to 28, while the Tories will be in Birmingham from October 2 to 5.
With no parliamentary business currently taking place because of the period of national mourning, Redwood claimed that meant MPs would not return to work for more than a month.
“We need to tackle the cost of living crisis and energy shortage before then,” he said.
His tweet has been liked more than 4,000 times and widely shared by large numbers of people who are normally opposed to his politics.
Unfortunately for Redwood, his tweet is completely wrong.
Although no final decision has been taken yet, Number 10 all-but confirmed this morning that business in the Commons will return next week, after the Queen’s funeral on Monday.
It is also expected that a “fiscal event”, or mini-Budget, will take place in the Commons one day next week in which new chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng will set out the government’s plans to cut taxes.
The PM’s official spokesman said: “We are still planning to deliver a fiscal event this month. We would not do that in recess. Beyond that, we have not set out a date.”
With parliament meant to go into recess for the party conferences from next Wednesday until October, that means the mini-Budget must take place next week - and MPs will be back in the chamber to debate it.
Number 10 has also insisted that the government’s plan to freeze typical energy bills at £2,500 for the next two years from October 1 will not be affected by the period of mourning.