POLITICIANS from across the parties have called for Westminster to become a “digital parliament” while the coronavirus outbreak lasts as party chiefs discuss introducing a quota system to reduce the number of MPs in the Commons chamber.

More than 100 members have signed a letter written by Labour’s Chi Onwurah, calling for the UK Parliament to go online for the duration of the pandemic.

In the letter to John Benger, the Commons Clerk, Ms Onwurah, who represents Newcastle upon Tyne Central, says: “In a national crisis when 30 million households are being instructed to stay at home and save lives we must show that we too have ‘got the message’.

“A number of parliamentarians, including the Prime Minister, have already been struck down by the virus and it is clear Westminster is not a safe working environment and cannot be made so whilst including a representative number of MPs. We must lead by example.”

Ms Onwurah calls for a digital parliament to be created with the help of the technology sector in which all MPs can participate and “maintain our democratic traditions in accordance with social distancing”.

The Labour backbencher’s move came as The Herald was told that party whips are discussing a quota system of no more than 100 MPs and possibly as few as 50 to participate in debates, questions and statements in the chamber. Committees could continue to meet, as they have begun to, via videoconferencing.

Ian Blackford, the leader of the SNP at Westminster, said the idea of the Commons returning as normal on April 21, following the Easter recess, was a “non-starter”.

“To hold the Government to account remains absolutely important and, rather than MPs having to go backwards and forwards from their constituencies to London, it may be a number would have to be permanently based there.”

The Highland MP insisted: “We are actively looking at the options. It’s not just about the safety of MPs but also their staff and, of course, their constituents.”

Alistair Carmichael, the Liberal Democrat Chief Whip, agreed changes had to happen and be in place before MPs returned.

“We can’t continue running the Commons as if nothing had happened. The parties could agree between themselves which MPs would go to Westminster; a quota system. It could be 50 or 100; you need 40 for a quorum.”

The MP for Orkney and Shetland stressed any system should not mean that Westminster becomes a London Parliament and that any limited number of MPs had to be representative of the UK as a whole.

As MPs rose early for the Easter recess last week Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker, ended his closing remarks by saying Westminster’s use of technology could “move very quickly and give Members the reach that they need to become part of the virtual Parliament and virtual select committees”.