Hundreds of British MPs spent more than an hour in queues stretching a kilometre through the corridors and halls of the Houses of Parliament on Tuesday, casting their first votes in person since the country went into coronavirus lockdown.
The government has ditched the measures brought in because of the pandemic in April and May, which tore up centuries of tradition by allowing remote voting and debates by video conference.
MPs were required to attend Westminster for the first-ever socially distanced parliamentary vote.
They joined a queue, each spaced two metres apart, that wound out of the wood-panelled debating chamber, zigzagged through an ornate 11th century hall where monarchs and prime ministers lie in state, and outside into a courtyard.
They voted 261-163 in favour of the government's plan to end the so-called hybrid Parliament and restore a system that requires all those who wish to vote to attend in person.
"Voting while enjoying a sunny walk or whilst watching television does democracy an injustice," House of Commons leader Jacob Rees-Mogg said.
"We ask members to vote in person for a reason: because it is the heart of what Parliament is about."
Unless a better method can be found, every vote will now involve the long queues that critics dismissed as a farce, and some on Twitter called the #ReesMoggConga.
The first vote that rejected keeping the hybrid arrangements took 46 minutes, slowed down because many MPs were uncertain of what to do when they reached the front of the queue.
A second vote to approve the government plan took 36 minutes.
"A total farce," opposition Labour MP Afzal Khan said on Twitter.
"This is supposed to be a functioning parliamentary democracy, not a theme park."
Parliamentary Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle directed proceedings with growing frustration, instructing each member to state their name and their vote as they passed his chair.
Normally, MPs vote by walking through crowded lobbies and having their names ticked off a list in a process that takes about 15 minutes.
That has been ruled unsafe because of the risk of coronavirus contagion.
Many, including a group of rebels in the governing Conservative Party, objected to the decision to end flexible working arrangements. They said it disenfranchised those who were unable to attend Parliament.
Mr Rees-Mogg said the hybrid system was too slow at processing legislation and nullified the cut and thrust of the adversarial debating chamber.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
more from Janine di Giovanni
Countdown to Zero exhibition will show how disease can be beaten
Countdown to Zero: Defeating Disease, an international multimedia exhibition created by the American Museum of National History in collaboration with The Carter Center, will open in Abu Dhabi a month before Reaching the Last Mile.
Opening on October 15 and running until November 15, the free exhibition opens at The Galleria mall on Al Maryah Island, and has already been seen at the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum in Atlanta, the American Museum of Natural History in New York, and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
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The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Indoor Cricket World Cup Dubai 2017
Venue Insportz, Dubai; Admission Free
Fixtures - Open Men 2pm: India v New Zealand, Malaysia v UAE, Singapore v South Africa, Sri Lanka v England; 8pm: Australia v Singapore, India v Sri Lanka, England v Malaysia, New Zealand v South Africa
Fixtures - Open Women Noon: New Zealand v England, UAE v Australia; 6pm: England v South Africa, New Zealand v Australia
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
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6026 – Dh 200
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
The specs: 2018 Maxus T60
Price, base / as tested: Dh48,000
Engine: 2.4-litre four-cylinder
Power: 136hp @ 1,600rpm
Torque: 360Nm @ 1,600 rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel consumption, combined: 9.1L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
