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A House of Lords introduction ceremony was interrupted by the Mission: Impossible theme tune on Monday, 18 December.Robert Douglas-Miller, who was appointed a life peer by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in order to take up his Government post as an environment minister, was about to swear the oath of allegiance to the King when the film’s song played from Lord Woodley’s phone.The Labour peer later spoke in the chamber, apologising for the interruption.“I have never been so embarrassed in all my life, I am sincerely sorry,” he added. More

A man pretending to be the son of Conservative MP Lee Anderson appeared on an LBC radio call-in claiming his father was a violent drunk.The alleged prank call, which took place on Rachel Johnson’s phone-in show on Sunday (17 December), has been described as a “vile hoax” by the Tory deputy chairman.The man called himself ‘Charlie Anderson’ from Ashfield, Mr Anderson’s constituency, and claimed to be the MP’s son.The call was promptly cut off by Ms Johnson, who said it sounded like a “very personal issue”.Mr Anderson has since demanded both police and LBC bosses look into what happened.Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Mr Anderson said: “To be clear, this is a vile hoax and a slur on my family.”For clarity I do have a son called Charlie but he is 33 not 23 as the male says in this clip. The voice is a completely different accent to my son’s.”The person who has made this hoax call is sick. I shall be reporting this to the police and so should @LBC.” More

Oliver Dowden said he “doesn’t accept” Baroness Michelle Mone’s claim that she and her husband Doug Barrowman were made “scapegoats” for the government’s wider failings over personal protective equipment (PPE) during the Covid pandemic.Speaking to Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips on Sky News on 17 December, the deputy prime minister added: “There’s a limit to what I can say, but I don’t recognise that.”It comes after Lady Mone apologised for denying her links to the PPE Medpro firm which was awarded government contracts worth more than £200m to supply PPE after she recommended it to ministers. More

Baroness Michelle Mone apologised after denying her links to the PPE Medpro firm which was awarded contracts worth more than £200m to supply personal protective equipment after she recommended it to ministers.The Conservative peer was questioned by the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday (17 December) on the controversy surrounding the firm, which is being investigated by the National Crime Agency (NCA).”I wasn’t trying to pull the wool over anyone’s eyes. I regret and I’m sorry for not saying straight out ‘yes I am involved’,” Lady Mone said. More

Kemi Badenoch accused a Labour MP of being a “liar” in a heated clash over the language used to describe transgender children.The equalities minister was warned about the use of “unparliamentary language” after she clashed with Kate Osborne, who she accused of lying.During an appearance at the Women and Equalities Select Committee on Wednesday (13 December), the Cabinet minister became angry when Ms Osborne accused her of previously using “inflammatory language that likens children and young people coming out as trans to the spread of a disease”.Ms Badenoch said: “That is a lie and I think you should withdraw that statement. That is a lie. You are lying.” More

Penny Mordaunt mocked the SNP with a take on “The Twelve Days of Christmas” carol.After being asked about “morality” by the Scottish party on Thursday (14 December), the Commons Leader told MPs: “We should have a festive round-up on SNP morality: 12 hours of police questioning, 11-grand roaming charges, 10 years without school inspections, nine sham embassies, eight years of poor child mental health, seven years without ferries, six years shirking welfare powers.”Mordaunt appeared to refer to the recent turmoil that has faced the SNP, such as when Nicola Sturgeon’s husband Peter Murrell was arrested and subsequently released without charge. More

Rishi Sunak was labelled as “desperate” and more unpopular than Boris Johnson in a heated Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday (13 December).Labour MP Chris Bryant launched a stinging attack and mocked him for losing WhatsApp messages in relation to the Covid-19 pandemic inquiry.Mr Bryant asked: “What is worse: Losing your WhatsApp messages as a tech bro, losing £11.8bn to fraud as chancellor, presiding over the biggest fall in living standards in our history, or desperately clinging onto power when you become even more unpopular than Boris Johnson?” More

Sir Keir Starmer described Mark Drakeford as a “titan of Welsh politics” as he paid tribute to the Welsh first minister at Prime Minister’s Questions.Mr Drakeford announced he is standing down as the county’s Labour leader on Wednesday 13 December, triggering the contest to find his successor.He said he would continue to work “tirelessly” for a Labour government to “start repairing the huge damage which has been inflicted by the Tories over the last 13 years” at a press conference in Cardiff.“Mark committed his life to public service and lives his values every day. Quietly and patiently, Mark has been a titan of Labour and Welsh politics,” Sir Keir said. More