Semi-virtual Parliament to use Zoom

[Fambo Number Mive]

Plans to allow MPs to take part in some Parliamentary business virtually have been approved by the body responsible for administration in the Commons.

The House of Commons Commission said ministers will be quizzed via Zoom for the first time in the House's 700-year history.

This "unprecedented step" will "keep democracy going" during the coronavirus crisis, it said.

MPs will have to approve the plan next week when they return on 21 April.

It means that up to 120 MPs will be able to take part in proceedings virtually at any one time, while 50 could remain in the chamber under social distancing rules.

The Commons authorities will mark out the 2m (6ft) distance MPs will have to maintain when they go into the chamber...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-52299514

Should be interesting. I know the HOC is a big place, but even having 50 people in the chamber feels like a lot at the moment. It is important the government is held to account though. I hope they clean the HOC thoroughly after each sitting.

I wonder which MPs will do their Zoom calls from their bed/sex gym/toilet

[Butchers Blind]

ministers will be quizzed via Zoom for the first time in the House's 700-year history

Wasn't aware it was around that long.

[kalowski]

What a load of Raabish.

[Captain Z]

Hey, right, get this...


...it's like, this shouldn't be much different to usual...


...you know, in the houses of parliament...


...because, right, usually, the houses of parliament...


...they're like a...


Zoo! Right?


So now it's like, yeah, going from a zoo to a Zoo(m)!


Get it??

[Phoenix Lazarus]

This seems so 1970s-film-or-comic-envisaging-of-the-2020s, a politicians forum as a room of interlinked screens.

[Phoenix Lazarus]

Hey, right, get this...


...it's like, this shouldn't be much different to usual...


...you know, in the houses of parliament...


...because, right, usually, the houses of parliament...


...they're like a...


Zoo! Right?


So now it's like, yeah, going from a zoo to a Zoo(m)!


Get it??

(sings) Commons taking place via Zoom tomorrow, Zoom tomorrow, Zoom tomorrow.  Commons taking place via Zoom tomorrow-to avoid Covid.

It's going via Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, while virus fills the the tomb, tomb, tomb.  While the blight looms, looms, looms, they're going via Zoom.

Labour anti-Semites want pogroms startin'; Tory MPs want workers' rights haltin'; Lib-Dem's at a loss now the Brexit horse's boltin'.   What a fucking mess.

It's going via Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, while virus fills the the tomb, tomb, tomb.  While the blight looms, looms, looms, they're going via Zoom.

[olliebean]

It means that up to 120 MPs will be able to take part in proceedings virtually at any one time, while 50 could remain in the chamber under social distancing rules.

So that's barely more than a quarter of MPs. Who gets to decide which 3/4 are excluded? Or is it first come first served?

[Sebastian Cobb]

Why are they using zoom when they have their own secure conferencing software?

[olliebean]

At a guess, maybe their own software can't handle as many as 120 people at a time. It won't have been designed for situations in which that was necessary.

[Pinball]

CCP TV.

(Zoom is Chinese state-owned).

Says it all that the UK isn't even capable of having its own Skype system. Pathetic.

[Captain Z]

Long 'fore the information superhighway,
As dear old Sinatra sang "I did it my way"
I'd say now to Boris, Cameron or Gideon
That we managed fine with a carrier pidgeon

[Zero Gravitas]

Wait, it literally says zoom?

[idunnosomename]

Wish everyone would shut the fuck up abot zoom

[Shoulders?-Stomach!]

Yeah SHUT UP EVERYONE