Watch: Sunak taunts Truss over 'deep state'

In Parliament, where the Commons are about to go into recess, once again. Closing these debates was Rishi Sunak's traditional grilling of the Liaison Committee. In the good old days of Boris Johnson, there was mutual hatred between the Prime Minister and the various select committee chairs, some of whom were elected explicitly because they were critics of Johnson.

But these days, under the leadership of top swot Sunak, panel sessions are much more staid affairs. The ninety-minute meeting turned out to be a walk in the park for the Prime Minister, who enthusiastically showed his mastery of the issue. The humor, however, was provided by William Wragg: the baby-faced chairman of the Public Administration Committee. He asked Sunak about comments made by his predecessor Liz Truss suggesting she had been undermined by the deep state. Did he agree?

Altar: I think this is probably a question for her rather than for me.

Wragg: But I look forward to hearing your point of view, Prime Minister. Is there a deep state? Are you one of them? Am I part of it?

Altar: Probably a question for her. I probably wouldn't tell you if I was okay, right?

Wragg: No no no.

Altar:And we won't tell anyone else either.

Wragg: I wouldn't tell anyone else either, Sir Bernard, if I were. So it's not just a few guys getting, you know, overly horny after a nice lunch at, say, the Garrick. Really ?

Altar: This is a question for her

Wragg: Okay, so from a good lunch spot to another Prime Minister, the House of Lords.

Yours Liz