Penny raised eyebrows in SW1 after she failed to turn up to Business Questions at 11 am.

Guido spotted Penny by the Speaker’s chair just after 10 am in a prolonged conversation with the Speaker. He then stood up an hour later to announce that she couldn’t attend until midday and as there’s no deputy Leader of the Commons, questions had to be delayed.

This is unprecedented in recent history. A tradition of Tory chaos is getting well embedded…

UPDATE: According to Whip Jacob Young, Penny has gone to see the King in her remit as Lord President of the Council. Stand down…

UPDATE II: Guido’s confirmed with sources that it was a planned suspension for a Privy Council meeting with the King. Comms really shouldn’t be this difficult…