Gove panned for loo debacle

HIS Cabinet career looked to be heading down the toilet – now Surrey Heath MP Michael Gove appears to be getting comfortable there.

The MP and former education secretary missed a speech in the House of Commons on his first day in his new role because he was stuck in the loo, it has emerged.

Labour minister Angela Eagle took great delight in revealing the unfortunate episode during questions in Parliament last Thursday.

She said the new chief whip ‘got stuck in the toilet in the wrong lobby’ on Wednesday, so had not made a good start.

In response, William Hague – who resigned as foreign secretary and is now Leader of the House – said Gove being in the toilet demonstrated he was ‘carrying out his duties very assiduously’.

“Knowledge of who is in the toilets in whatever lobby is a very important piece of information for any chief whip,” said Hague.

It has been reported that Mr Gove became stuck in the toilets of the ‘yes’ lobby because he did not realise a vote was ongoing. The doors of the voting lobbies are locked eight minutes after a vote is called, preventing any MPs who arrive late from voting after that.