James Cleverly apologised in the Commons for using “inappropriate language” against a Labour MP but denied he called Stockton a “s*******”. The Home Secretary was accused of making the remark after Labour’s Alex Cunningham challenged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak over the level of child poverty in his Stockton North constituency.

Mr Cleverly told MPs on Monday (27 November): “I know what I said. I rejected the accusation that I criticised his constituency. “My criticism, which I made from a sedentary position, about the honourable gentleman used inappropriate language for which I apologise. “But I will not accept that my criticism was of his constituency because it was not.” Mr Cunningham said: “He has not apologised to me, he’s not apologised to the people of my constituency, he has apologised for using unparliamentary language.”