Can bringing MPs back to parliament give Boris Johnson the boost he needs?

Tories are pushing hard to return to Westminster, despite a furious row over safety concerns, Lizzy Buchan writes

The prime minister has missed having MPs to watch his back (Reuters)

MPs are set to return to Westminster in person on Tuesday after weeks of conducting parliamentary business virtually, except for a handful of politicians present in the Commons chamber.

The decision, which was pushed through the Commons by Tory MPs on a whipped vote, sparked a major row over the potential risks to the safety of vulnerable parliamentarians and staff.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons speaker, said he was very worried that infection could spread rapidly if the government insists on forcing MPs to go through crowded lobbies to vote.