Liz Truss will not be replying to Labour’s urgent question in the Commons this afternoon.
We reported earlier (12.59 pm) that the opposition had been granted the chance to ask an urgent question of the prime minister about the sacking of the chancellor.
But Penny Mordaunt, the leader of the House of Commons, will instead answer the question at the despatch box.
Although it is not uncommon for prime ministers to send lower-ranking ministers to answer urgent questions (Boris Johnson would often send then-minister Michael Ellis to answer questions on his behalf), Labour will make hay with the move.
The opposition is already suggesting the prime minister is “in hiding.”
Ms Mordaunt was a leadership hopeful earlier this year, getting through to the final three.
The prime minister’s official spokesman earlier said Ms Truss would be in the Commons for Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s statement, which is taking place after the urgent question, but it is not clear if that remains the case.
A Labour Party spokesman said the prime minister was “frit” – a word which means frightened and was famously used by Margaret Thatcher.
Source: Sky News