MPs and staff are unable to get online on their first day back at work as an internet outage appears to be affecting the Parliamentary Estate. One bag carrier moaned:

“Can’t get online at all, should have worked from home.”

Not much work getting done this morning…

UPDATE: Relieved staffers get in touch to say their connections are now restored. Back to work…

UPDATE II: The fall out continued this lunchtime in the Portcullis House canteen. The tills and card readers have been struggling to get online all day, which when coupled with the cafeteria serving up Jerk Chicken – a favourite dish among MPs and staffers alike – as a back-to-school treat, led to long delays and queues flowing out the door. One old hand, fresh back from their summer holidays, comments: “It’s like Heathrow passport control down here”.