PMQ's Unpacked on Times Radio, unpacking the politics and cutting through the crossfire. And I'm joined as always by The Times as Chief Political Commentator Patrick McIntyre. Hello Patrick. Hello, Hugo. How are you? I'm very well. Busy morning. It's been a hectic morning. But this is the sort of stuff that makes it all worthwhile, isn't it? How nice. Let's say it is. And we're also joined today by the comedian Alster Beckett King.

Hello, Alster.

Hello, for balance.

Somebody who doesn't know. The sort of stuff that makes it all worthwhile, isn't it? How nice. Let's say it is. And we're also joined today by the comedian, Alster Becket King.

Hello, Alster. Hello, for balance. Somebody who doesn't know anything. It hasn't had a busy morning. Are you a regular PMQ's watcher? I wouldn't say I was a super fan. I keep up with the news, but I don't like listening to their voices. I don't like to hear them speak.

Well, you'll love this.

I prefer to have someone write down what they said so I can get furious in my own time later. Would it help if their voices were replaced with the voices of actors, like that you'd have to do with Jerry Adams? I would love that, yes. Yeah, first of all, it's work for actors, you know, and I'm always in favour of that, you know. And, yeah, I think it would liven things up a little bit.

Because, Kirstarmer's voice is already sort of bordering on, it's not sort of parody, but it could go further towards Zippy from Rainbow, I think. That would be good. I remember there was that great, I think it was a day-to-day sketch

where they talked about the, I mean, Patrick Yotta Young to remember,

you're probably both young to remember.

Sorry, I of course remember where they have to inhale helium.

They have to inhale helium and so credulity of their statement.

Do you mean,. Sorry, I of course remember. They have to inhale helium. They have to inhale helium. What do you mean of course? I remember. You're like seven when it came out. I think I wasn't alive when the day today came out. Oh, well, there you go. And if any casting directors are listening, I also wasn't alive then and don't know what any of you are talking about. A skibbiddy toilet, etc.

Understood. Patrick, you brought us the news earlier that the person who told Peter Mandelson, told the police that Peter Mandelson was a flight risk was not other than Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker. It's a bit like the moment at the end of Scooby-Doo where he pulls off the mask and goes, it was me. It's going to make things a bit odd in the chamber today, isn't it? Yes, it will. It also depends what the leader of the opposition is asking about.

If she's asking about Mandelson, again, which isn't impossible, there'll be an air of

unreality to proceedings, given what we now know, what the Times has revealed this morning

about the speaker's role in hastening that arrest.

He says in good faith, etc., etc.

But, yeah, I mean, that's what people are certainly talking about, if my WhatsApp's

or anything to go by, particularly on the Labour benches.

So, but I suspect, given Kirstarmer is opening with Ukraine, it's the fourth anniversary of that invasion today.

You know, Kemi Bay, not may go on defence, but who knows?

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