House of Commons leader suggests MPs go on bus trip together during summer holiday

For many, the ongoing parade of drudgery both inside and outside of parliament is so lively and cheerful that you could probably have more fun at a funeral.

However, things are starting to change. There will be a new prime minister soon, we'll probably be out of the EU by the end of the year and the Brexit Party are making waves. Oh, what fun and merriment lie ahead...

In a bid to make things perhaps a little more enjoyable in the House of Commons, the new leader of the house, Mel Stride, suggested in a chamber meeting on Thursday morning that the small number of MPs that had assembled all go on a holiday together.

After confirming that parliament's summer recess will take place between 25 July 25 and 3 September, Stride suggested that they all get on a bus for a bit of giggle. Addressing the Commons, the Tory MP said:

I would be happy to hire a bus or a charabanc and as the new leader, who as you know has brought such a powerful sense of direction and renewed purpose to this House, I'd be happy to drive it.

And nothing would give me more pleasure than for my new found friend, the shadow leader, to join me.

She would be serenaded of course by the ever-cheerful (SNP commons leader) Pete Wishart on the pipes, or maybe the banjo, accompanied by (Tory MP) John Hayes showing his musical prowess on the spoons while sprouting Wordsworth, Keats and John Clare and regaling us with cheery tales of those halcyon Victorian times when small boys cheerfully shinned up chimneys and widespread malnutrition and rickets were a mere footnote to a far happier age.

And as the sun slips below the horizon, we will hear the extraordinary tales of (Labour MP) Ian Mearns explaining how he quietly took over the entire business of government with his backbench business committee, or perhaps we'll stick to our original plans.

Although we appreciate the sentiment of Stride's message we're not sure that a bunch of politicians on a bus is the best look right now.

A few people have given their thoughts on Stride's unusual proposal and let's just say that not everyone sounds that keen, including Paul Wishart, who was invited on the trip.

Incidentally, Stride is a qualified tour guide who has given tours of historical sites such as Stonehenge, the Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Tate Britain and Windsor Castle, so it's possible that it might be a good trip after all.

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