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Keir Starmer is addressing 180 Labour MPs on a Zoom call. An increasing number have been making clear they want to vote against the 10pm hospitality curfew and expressing scepticism about the local lockdown, rinse, repeat approach of government as constituents call them in tears.
Starmer is giving a speech – "pulling the DPP card" as one source puts it – defending the CHIS (Criminal Conduct) Bill and how it is made safe by the Human Rights Act. But I'm told Sarah Owen is asking what guarantees are offered by HRA when Tories are reviewing it.
For context, the government has argued that MPs shouldn't be worried about the bill not placing limits on the types of crimes that can be committed as it would be tempered by the Human Rights Act. But the Tories are not big fans of the HRA as we know.
News from Starmer on the covert human intelligence sources bill: he tells PLP that if Labour amendments fall he does *not* believe they should vote the bill down.
I'm told Beth Winter and Nadia Whittome, both stood down as frontbenchers after voting against the overseas operations bill at 2nd reading, criticising the leadership position on the call. Whittome stresses need for CHIS amendments on sex offences.
After listening to Starmer's speech, I'm told Tony Lloyd says on call he still has doubts over the Human Rights Act argument being made by government and Labour leader.
The view held by quite a number of Labour MPs – not just SCG – is that the leadership is right to say we need to put CHIS criminal conduct on a statutory footing, as in other countries, but the legislation must be improved.
Battle of the barristers as Shami Chakrabarti gives her view. Then Sarah Champion raises concerns over protecting women from spycops and Sarah Owen raises Tory opposition to HRA again.
2019 intake MP Tahir Ali says if amendments are not accepted to CHIS bill, Labour should be voting against it.
Looks like the rebellion on Thursday will be bigger than the 20 Labour MP rebellion at second reading.
Looks like the rebellion on Thursday will be bigger than the 20 Labour MP rebellion at second reading.
"Shami was particularly impressive," says one source
Labour peer John Hendy QC on CHIS bill: "As a lawyer, I just cannot accept that the state has prior approval to commit crimes."
I'm told only Neil Coyle so far has spoken in favour of the leadership's position on the CHIS bill, calling colleagues "perverse" for wanting to pit PLP against Labour members, which led Ian Byrne to say he was "disgusted" by the comment.
Source says MPs other than Coyle have spoken in support of Starmer's speech tonight, and points out that frontbenchers cannot speak at the PLP meeting
Overseas operations bill is a different matter to CHIS. Starmer has confirmed to PLP that he has no issue with voting against OOB at third reading, after abstaining at second, if it is not successfully amended.
On CHIS, I'm told Diana Johnson and Yvette Cooper were among Labour MPs to support Starmer on the leadership's position – plus there are frontbenchers who couldn't speak in PLP meeting
