TORY rebel MP Richard Drax insists the compromise reached with government over Covid laws was ‘a shot over the bow’ – but insisted there would be no more warning shots if they don’t keep to their word.

The South Dorset MP is one of a growing number of Tory MPs demanding a change in the government’s current approach to the Covid-19 pandemic, and lack of scrutiny for urgently implemented legislation.

He claims the current ‘constant doom and gloom’ approach will ruin livelihoods, wreck the economy, destroy vital life experiences for younger people and lead to thousands of unnecessary deaths from suicide and suspended medical treatment for other conditions.

He was among the backbench rebels whose pressure led to the government bowing down and offering MPs a vote on any new national coronavirus measures before they come into place.

Mr Drax welcomed the news but said MPs would ensure the government stuck to the ‘gentleman’s agreement’ that legislation affecting the entire UK would be scrutinised by Parliament before it is implemented.

He said: “This is, in a sense, the first shot across the bow. It was a gentlemanly shot aimed purposely to miss and change the cause of direction.

“However, if the government continues on the path that they have been taking us, we will be more focused with the target. There is a growing number of MPs who will say, ‘enough is enough’.”

Backbenchers from all sides of the Commons had united in an initial attempt to bring in an official amendment to the Coronavirus Act to enable more scrutiny of national laws.

Although Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle did not call a vote on the amendment, he launched a blistering attack on the government for treating MPs with ‘contempt’ when imposing new coronavirus legislation, which he said had been published without adequate time for debate or scrutiny.

In response, Health Secretary Matt Hancock, conceded to the pressure and agreed that MPs would get a say over new measures ‘wherever possible’ going forward.

He added: “I’m very glad that we’ve been able to find a way to ensure that we can have that scrutiny and colleagues on all sides can have the opportunity to vote and we do so in a way though that still doesn’t fetter the Government’s need to act fast to keep people safe from this virus.”

Mr Drax said MPs were still waiting for clarity on exactly what criteria would need to be met for legislation to be debated by the House – but said MPs would continue to fight if the ‘gentleman’s agreement’ was not kept.

“If they show disrespect to this agreement, I think you will find even more MPs will say, ‘enough is enough, this has to stop’. The damage being done to people’s lives is horrendous,” he added.

He reiterated his plea to the government for a ‘proportionate and pragmatic response’ to the coronavirus threat, blasting ‘absurd’ laws such as the rule of six and 10pm curfews, and pleading for more conversation with other eminent scientists whose views differ from those advising the government.

He added: “I’m not making a personal comment against the scientists and the medical teams that are advising the government but there are is another team of many other well respected scientists who disagree fundamentally with what they are saying.

“We are never going to defeat it. Like all viruses it is probably going to be here with us for the rest of our lives. We have to learn to live with it and get on with our lives and get the economy going, which we are not doing at the moment.

“The route we are travelling with this is incredibly destructive.”