‘Operation shag a dog?’ MPs’ confusion over plan to save Boris Johnson

Tory MP told to ‘learn northern’ after mishearing Labour MP’s accent

The Downing Street operation to save Boris Johnson’s job was mistakenly referred to as “Operation Shag a Dog” in the Commons amid confusion over nicknames and accents.

It follows The Independent’s exclusive story from last month revealing that the No 10 scheme to sack top officials had been dubbed “Operation Save Big Dog” by the prime minister himself.

Labour MP Jim McMahon, opening a debate on the cost of living, said the government was “too busy saving the job” of the PM to get on with the job of running the country.

The shadow environment secretary said: “Operation Shaggy Dog in full force. I think it is absolutely outrageous.”

Mishearing Mr McMahon’s northern accent, Conservative MP Jerome Mayhew said: “I think the operation wasn’t called Operation Shag a Dog … perhaps he would care to correct that.”

Amid laughter and head-shaking in the chamber, deputy Commons speaker Nigel Evans said: “I heard shaggy dog – I am sure everybody heard shaggy dog.”

One MP from the Labour benches said: “Learn to speak Northern.”

Mr McMahon replied he was “of course referring to the Dulux dog”, from the paint company advertisements.

In another tense exchange on Tuesday, MP Lee Anderson called Ian Lavery a “coward” in the Commons after the Labour MP ignored several requests from the Tory to give way.

The Labour MP was making a speech on the “grotesque inequality in this country”, calling poverty and hunger a “political choice”, as he contrasted rising yacht sales and other signs of wealth with poverty.

The Conservative MP for Ashfield made a number of attempts to intervene, asking Mr Lavery to give way and allow him the opportunity to rise and make a point in the House. Mr Anderson could then be heard saying the word “coward” from a seated position.

Following objections from Labour MPs, the deputy Speaker said “please withdraw that word”, and Mr Anderson responded: "I’m sure the honourable member is not a coward.”

Meanwhile, Jacob Rees-Mogg said he did not recollect feeding Mr Johnson the discredited smear attack about Sir Keir Starmer “failing” to prosecute Jimmy Savile.

Asked about a report in the Sunday Times that suggested he gave the PM the idea for using the line in the Commons last week, the new Brexit opportunities minister told ConservativeHome’s podcast: “That isn’t my recollection.

Mr Rees-Mogg added: “I think it came from behind us, but it seemed to me a perfectly fair point to use.”

Pressed on whether he was sure it did not come from him, the cabinet minister replied: “I wasn’t sitting next to the prime minister, so I wasn’t in a particularly good position to be feeding him lines.”