David Cameron charms the Lords

To the rarified surroundings of the Upper House, where the newest member of the government took his place on the red leather of the ministerial front bench. Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton attracted quite the crowd yesterday when he was introduced for the first time, with one peer remarking that they had not seen the Tory benches so full since Covid. It was a similarly full turnout this afternoon when the new Foreign Secretary made his debut at the despatch box.

Turning it on thick with his fellow peers, Cameron remarked happily on his newly enhanced surroundings: ‘When I look at the ornate carved wooden panels that surround us, and compare them to my now-infamous shepherd’s hut, I can tell you this is already a significant upgrade.’ He said that Peter Mandelson had sent him a ‘charming welcome’ but that his New Labour rival had dubbed him a mere ‘comeback novice’.