Tory MPs refute media myth that Parliament being in recess means they are "on holiday"

By Matthew Barrett
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On yesterday's Today programme, Justin Webb, introducing a section on the Lords, said "MPs are still on holiday but the House of Lords is sitting..."

Although he was later happy to acknowledge MPs are not, in fact, "on holiday", Webb set off a series of tweets from Tory MPs miffed at the fact they were being portrayed as taking too much time off. David Jones (Clwyd West) got the ball rolling

Memo to @JustinOnWeb:I'm not on holiday, and won't be having one until September. Do you stop working when #bbcr4today comes off the air?

— David Jones (@DavidJonesMP) May 29, 2012

Dan Byles (North Warwickshire) continued:

.@bbcnickrobinson on @BBCr4today once again repeats misconception that MPs "are on holiday". Doesn't BBC have duty to challenge such myths?

— Daniel Byles (@danielbyles) May 29, 2012

Other MPs joined in:

@danielbyles @bbcr4today my "holiday" today:school meeting with a minister, 3 hour advice surgery, local lobby group,& BBC I/view -:)

— Nick de Bois MP (@nickdebois) May 29, 2012

.@danielbyles @bbcnickrobinson tomorrow, as part of my holiday, I'll be driving 4hrs to Cardiff, meeting WAG minister, and driving 4hrs back

— David Jones (@DavidJonesMP) May 29, 2012

@nickdebois @danielbyles @bbcr4today My "holiday" 2day consists of going through about 100 constituents' letters & planning local jobs fair

— Christopher Pincher (@ChrisPincher) May 29, 2012

.@BBCr4today @bbcnickrobinson for my "holiday" today am visiting new local company, a primary school, working in office & visiting youth grp

— Daniel Byles (@danielbyles) May 29, 2012

@danielbyles @bbcnickrobinson got 5 meetings today on my holiday!!! Wish U Were Here Nick. U cd do interview with us MPs who ron hols

— Laura Sandys MP (@LauraSandysMP) May 29, 2012

While it may be true that Parliament isn't sitting, it doesn't mean MPs are all sitting in the sun. Gavin Barwell (Croydon Central) believes Parliament should sit more often:

.@danielbyles @nickdebois @bbcnickrobinson Yes many MPs work hard in recess but it's wrong that Parliament doesn't sit for much of the year

— Gavin Barwell MP (@GavinBarwellMP) May 29, 2012

That's a discussion for another day but either way, it's good to see MPs fighting back against the media myth that MPs are "on holiday" just because Parliament is in recess.