UK breaks with past to approve virtual parliament plan
(VOVWORLD) - A plan for the House of Commons to convene remotely for the first time in its 700-year history was approved Thursday by Parliamentary authorities.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson (C) chairs a morning COVID-19 update meeting remotely at No 10 Downing Street, London on March 28, 2020
(Photo: Xinhua/ VNA)
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The unprecedented decision to use Zoom, an internet conferencing service, for sittings of the chamber will allow MPs to question ministers about policy while Britain remains in lockdown.
The new plan will permit 120 MPs at a time to ask questions from remote locations, with another 50 allowed to sit physically in the House of Commons chamber under "strict social distancing rules".
The government is expected to extend its stringent social distancing policy in a later announcement.