AN MP has slammed the Government’s drive to get politicians back in the chamber at Westminster during the coronavirus lockdown, calling it “absolutely ridiculous”.

MPs voted to discontinue the virtual Parliament system yesterday, despite concerns shielding politicians will not be able to attend in person.

Labour MP for Brighton Kemptown Lloyd Russell-Moyle fears the chamber could become an “incubator of Covid”.

He worries MPs will contract the virus and “spread it back to their constituencies”.

Speaking to The Argus on his way to Parliament yesterday morning, Mr Russell-Moyle said making MPs return was a health risk – particularly for older politicians or those with underlying health conditions.

He is concerned they would have to “choose their health over representing people”.

“It’s contrary to Government guidelines on how everyone else should be working – and much of what we do could be done from home,” he said.

The move would also jeopardise people that MPs come into contact with, Mr Russell-Moyle said, especially if politicians have to take the train or stay in London overnight.

He pointed out that if MPs were to keep two metres apart, there would be a “one kilometre queue around Parliament” as they vote.

A hybrid system allowing politicians to either attend the Commons in person or contribute to proceedings via Zoom has been in place since the end of April.

Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg announced last month that the Government was pushing ahead with plans for a physical-only Commons, and MPs voted these proposals in yesterday.

Mr Rees-Mogg said he would bring forward a further proposal so those who cannot attend due to age or medical reasons can question the government remotely, but they will still need to be in Parliament to vote.

Prior to the vote, Mr Rees-Mogg argued that democracy would “once again flourish” having been “curtailed under the hybrid halfway house”.

But Mr Russell-Moyle dismissed the Commons Leader’s reliance on an “old fuddy-duddy way” of doing things.

“Rees-Mogg’s lot are taking us back to some fantasy world where you had to do it in person,” he said.

Mr Russell-Moyle has had the virus. He fears for more susceptible politicians who could have to share a room with “hundreds of people from every corner of the country”.

Recalling his recovery in March, he told The Argus: “We cannot be complacent, because if we are many more will die.”