The Speaker has announced that with a Warrant from Preston Crown Court, he allowed a Member’s office to be searched.

“I wish to report to the House that the rooms of a Member were searched yesterday pursuant to a warrant issued by the Circuit Judge in Preston Crown Court on 16 May. The warrant related to the investigation of a serious arrestable offence.

I should remind Members, as did my predecessor in 2008, that the precincts of Parliament are not a haven from the law. In accordance with the Protocol issued by my predecessor on 8 December 2008 on the execution of search warrants within the precincts of the House of Commons, I considered the warrant personally and was advised by Officers of the House that there were no lawful grounds on which it would be proper to refuse its execution.

In addition, as provided for in paragraph 6 of the Protocol, I consulted the Attorney General and the Solicitor General who concurred in this advice. I am very grateful to them. The Clerk of the House was kept fully informed throughout, and also concurred.

The Serjeant at Arms and Speaker’s Counsel were present when the search was conducted. Undertakings have been given by the police officers as to the handling of any Parliamentary material until such time as any issue of privilege is resolved.

The investigation is continuing and it would not be right to comment further. I will not take questions on my statement.”

Nigel Evans was arrested and held at Preston Police Station at the beginning of the month…

Tory councillor and now former chairman of the Merton Conservative Association, Richard Hilton, is defecting to UKIP, describing loongate as “the final straw”. Five other Merton councillors are also defecting. It’s going to be a long week for Dave…

Margaret Hodge got the full Kay Burley treatment this afternoon. After a day of grandstanding at her committee, she was left spluttering about her 0.01% tax bill. Hodge had the nerve to bring up the newspapers who retracted their own stories about Hodge and tax. She has never asked for a retraction from Guido for the stories that appeared on this blog, nor has she answered our questions about her family’s use of trusts…

Read Guido’s stories and unanswered questions here.

One moment of amusement during today’s extremely dull, long, Deputy PMQs was Edward Leigh thoroughly embarrassing Clegg over that in/out referendum leaflet.

Painful.

When Dave’s away…

Clearly Chuka has been told he needs to learn how to laugh at himself after Wednesday. These will never get old…

UPDATE: Chris Pincher’s powers of prediction are second to none:

Her first day with the whip reinstated…

“Royal Mail for sale, Queen’s head privatised.” He’s had worse…