Shami Chakrabarti, Labour’s Shadow Attorney General, commenting on the Government accepting Labour’s call for emergency legislation to be subject to six monthly reviews, said:

“Two years is a very long time for exceptional draconian powers, however necessary. That is why Labour tabled an amendment last week seeking parliamentary votes on the renewal or revocation of these emergency powers at six-monthly intervals.

“Indeed many of us would prefer even more frequent reviews, but given the particular challenges of this crisis, we are glad that the Government seems to have moved some way towards the compromise offered by Labour in the constitutional and public interest.

“We need the Government to explain the differences between their amendment and ours and give assurances that there will not be loopholes to the six-monthly review – especially in England which has only the Westminster parliament to hold executive power to account – and give people the financial support they need to get through this crisis.”