I like Jack Straw, he is a really nice, decent man. He is always up for a chat, always has a smile on his face and is incredibly kind. This is a huge problem during Business Questions, which as the leader of the House it is his duty to take. I like to ask gritty questions, questions that make the Leader of the House look at me with a ‘you cheeky madam’ look on his face. I wouldn’t like to be Theresa May who has to hold him to account each week. I would be minded to say “never mind Jack, I am sure it’s not your fault”, liking members of the opposition is not a good thing for democracy !

The other night I asked John Hutton the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions was it true that he had said the Chancellor would make a bleeping awful prime minister, I asked him this whilst the Chancellor was sat next to him – now that is cheeky – and by the look the Chancellor gave me in the corridor afterwards, possibly risky! I said bleeping because when George Osborne brought it up in the Chamber he used the correct quotation and was brought to book by the Speaker - it was George who very usefully tipped me off before we went into the Chamber! Thanks George!