Can anyone explain what is going on in Parliament?

He did not test positive Urmstongran
(All the papers and his own Twitter feed)

I hope the whole being in the 'office' as the only way to work has been ended by the pandemic. It's old fashioned, costly, bad for the environment, etc.

As far as I'm aware, Ug, MPs have been at work continuously (apart from their official holidays) ever since the parliament building was closed. In fact, I'm sure that any decent, hardworking MP would tell you that physically attending parliament is only ever a part of their work.

Your 'time they were back at work' attitude is not only insulting to MPs, with its implication that they've been dossing around for a couple of months (they leave that bit to the PM) but also seems woefully uninformed.

Many businesses will run many more of their meetings online in the future, when the physical benefits or cost benefits show it's worth it. Why then is the government unable to do the same. I would not mind if there was good reason but no one from the Conservative government has yet explained and if it's just to shield Boris from proper questioning then tax payers money is being misspent. They should be looking at all they have learned in this period - just as businesses are. As yet I have not heard of any thing like this happening, just autocratic instruction.

Sharma tested positive.

How many “overpaid whingers” were infected by Sharma yesterday?

Not true then WW - even the Guardian got it wrong then!

Debate and legislation cannot properly be done on line. I stand by my opinion that MP’s needed to be back in work now.

You are correct. Malaria is not transmitted person to person. Legionnaires?

I thought I’d heard a snippet on the radio about malaria in the London area, which was strange as I didn’t think it could be transmitted person to person and the mosquitos which carry it aren’t found here.

It sounded like malaria which is recurrent.

Can you expand on that?

I think MaisieD has the most likely explanation. It's all about wasting time so that little gets discussed in parliament. It also takes the heat off Cummings as it's a big story.

The whole idea is insane. If you are an MP don't work from home even if you can. Instead travel, possibly hundreds of miles, and join all those other people, MPs and staff, indoors in the cramped conditions of Westminster.

It doesn't really matter if Sharma has Covid or not. The odds are that at least someone among the 1000 or so people at Westminster is infectious with the disease.

It sounded like malaria which is recurrent.

Well I wonder what Sharma is suffering from - he was certainly in a bad way.

Face mask even. Fave masks also acceptable.

Fave masks now compulsory on public transport. Why so long?

Male menopause?

According to the BBC Sharma has tested negative for Covid

They have gone back to justify re-opening of schools.

"Look, we're back and self- distancing, your 4 year old should be self-disciplined enough to do the same".
"Oh dear, Alok, you don't look well at all. Best take yourself off to the sick bay".

A lot of pupils have to use public transport to get to and from school. I'm not sure that many MPs know what a bus is.

Whatever reason they did it for it is so sad that they don't see it as a chance to make progress and modernise.

I see Face Coverings on public transport is going to be mandatory from 15 June.

Absolutely, when.

Those who voted in favour of this are the silly asses and may bring very bad consequences on themselves and others.

Surely the example the government ought to be setting, at the moment, is to continue working from home if at all possible.

JRM will indeed be enjoying family life and relaxing at home - he lives about a five-minute walk from Parliament!

Yes FarNorth, I expect that a lot of the MPs from distant parts like yours and mine will be staying in London, but that deprives them of a family life and the chance to relax at home, which I am quite sure that JRM will be enjoying. They know distant voting works! We are not in normal times!!!

now the silly asses are back in the big building

That is an unfair comment.

My own MP has objected to returning, on the grounds of safety, but has done so rather than be excluded from doing their job properly.
S/he intends to stay in London indefinitely, rather than risk spreading the virus during lengthy travelling or in the constituency.

I expect some others will do the same, but not all.

Hasn't anyone considered the possibility that the insistence on MPs voting in person, and no video links, is a deliberate time waster? Parliamentary time is always very tightly scheduled. This move cuts down the amount of time for scrutiny. How very convenient...

Mmm. I agree with your analysis LullyDully but could I just suggest that we have the much needed (imo) English Parliament in Birmingham and the Upper House, the UK Parliament in York. Good rail links there and better to grow Leeds and Manchester airport than the ones in the south.

I actually think whether or not AS turns out to have COVID, he behaved extremely irresponsibly in staying at the despatch Box and Ed Miliband was equally irresponsible in passing him a glass of water rather than telling him to leave. Can you imagine being in another setting such as a school where that behaviour would be acceptable?

I read last night that Sharma was ill in Parliament, sweating and needing a glass of water and then was given a test and sent home.Haven’t read as yet that he tested positive, but you have to self isolate with symptoms anyway.