THE House of Commons Speaker launched a scathing attack on the Tory government for providing an update on England's lockdown easing to the press before speaking to parliament.

Lindsay Hoyle was visibly angry as he explained how he had to ask Downing Street to speak to MPs about the plans tonight, as originally no parliamentary statement was planned until tomorrow.

"I repeatedly made it clear how important it is that announcements should be made in this Chamber first," he told MPs.

"Can I just say we weren’t going to get a statement until I got involved in Downing Street. The fact is, this has been forced – to actually get a statement today. It was going to have been left until tomorrow, which would have been totally unacceptable."

Hoyle said he understands that the Prime Minister is away, but that’s why he sought to get someone to make a statement today. While the timing is at 8.30pm, hours after the TV briefing, he felt that was “better” than waiting until tomorrow.

“This House needs to know, it needs to know first. I find it totally unacceptable that once again, we see Downing Street running roughshod over members of parliament," he said. "We’re not accepting it. And I’m at the stage where I’m beginning to look for other avenues if they’re not going to take this House seriously."

He added: “What I would say is I think it’s time for me to have a meeting with the Prime Minister to actually put on the record here now, but with him, that this House matters.”

Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith asked if it would feasible for the Government to provide a statement at 6pm.

“If somebody’s willing to do that from Downing Street, I will always ensure that this House will hear it,” Hoyle responded. “My view is I was told no decisions have been taken. That’s why I’m more shocked to know there is an embargo, a list of what’s going to happen to this country, without this House knowing.

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“The fact is I’m being misled. This House is being misled. It is not acceptable and I would welcome them coming here before they make a press statement as the press have already got an embargo.”

It comes as England’s rate of new cases of Covid-19 has climbed to its highest level for more than three months, with around one in 10 local areas now recording rates above 100 cases per 100,000 people.

In a televised statement tonight Boris Johnson is expected to announce a delay to the final easing of coronavirus restrictions in England, which had been earmarked for June 21.

A clear rise in case rates and hospital numbers, driven by the spread of the Delta variant of Covid-19 that originated in India, are likely to have persuaded ministers of the merits of postponing the last stage of the road map out of lockdown.