BURNLEY MP Peter Pike has renewed his campaign to get himself a day off on Fridays.
Although the House of Commons now rarely sits on the last day of the week, he believes that this should end to allow MPs to work in their constituencies.
FOREIGN Secretary Jack Straw was today under pressure to provide a Thwaites beer from Blackburn at Foreign Office receptions.
Ribble Valley Tory MP Nigel Evans is concerned that British beer is not provided for the pleasure of overseas leaders and others at such functions.
He has put down a Commons motion on the issue and is urging Mr Straw to use Thwaites from his own constituency to showcase British ale.
And he has the backing of Hyndburn Labour MP Greg Pope, also a fan of the beer which he has seen Mr Straw consuming before Blackburn Rovers matches at Ewood Park.
Mr Straw said: "We do provide beer when appropriate. I am a strong supporter of Thwaites and we'd be delighted to see the use of their products in Whitehall. However, there are strict procurement rules but I am determined to make sure that the Blackburn brewery gets a fair crack of the whip."
MP Gordon Prentice (Pendle) and Lindsay Hoyle (Chorley) have backed a motion to put a statue of Manchester-born suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst on Abingdon College Green opposite Parliament.
They are among 46 MPs to support the move.
No doubt Rossendale and Darwen MP Janet Anderson -- a strong supporter of women's rights -- will be adding her name next week.
THE Government is delighted to note that Jack Straw has a new pager. He lost his last one earlier this week but it has now been replaced.
He doesn't know what happened to it, which is a change from last time he lost it -- when he dropped it down the toilet and it didn't work when he recovered it.
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