Rishi Sunak urged to force ‘lazy’ MPs to hold weekly surgeries as New Year resolution

Rishi Sunak has been urged to force lazy MPs to hold weekly surgeries as his New Year’s Resolution.

A new set of “contractual obligations”, suggested by True and Fair Party leader Gina Miller, would make regular meetings with the public mandatory for all MPs – and would help to “restore trust and ethical behaviour in politics.”

Traditionally, MPs held weekly ‘drop-in’ surgeries in advertised locations for constituents to come and share concerns and ask their MP for help.

But since the pandemic, and following the murder of David Amess during a surgery in October 2021, many MPs have shifted away from drop-in surgeries in favour of dealing with locals over email or by appointment.

But Ms Miller called for a return to the weekly session – and urged the PM to change the law to make them mandatory.

In a letter to Mr Sunak, Ms Miller wrote: “As we enter 2023, it is the time for New Year resolutions.

“My party suggests that your resolution should be to put an end to the laziness of MPs, many of whom fail to put in the hours their constituents require.”

The demand comes after former Health Secretary Matt Hancock infuriated constituents by leaving the country while the Commons was sitting to take part in I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here.

Ms Miller also suggested changing the law to slash MPs ‘holidays’ by requiring the Commons to sit for at least 160 days in every Parliamentary session.

Parliament sat for just 156 days in the 2021-22 session, which ran from 11 May 2021 to 28 April 2022.

Sessions usually last a year, and run between the State Opening of Parliament and prorogation the following year.

There were just 149 sitting days in 2013-14, and 137 in 2012-13.

Only the 2019-21 session saw MPs sitting for more than 224 days – but that was because the session ran for 16 months.

Ms Miller suggested even mandating a four-day week with the Commons in session would “put the working week closer in line with that of a teacher.”

A senior Conservative Party source said: “Conservative MPs work hard to stand up for the British people, both in Parliament and in their constituencies, and have delivered on the people’s decision to leave the European Union.”