A motion aimed at clamping down on ministers leaking statements to the press was defeated in the House of Commons this week.

The backbench business committee said the issue went to the ‘very heart of the effectiveness’of the Commons to hold the government to account.

The motion’s sponsor, Tory MP Philip Hollobone, said the motion would require the Government to ‘contain themselves so that they release that information on the floor of the House in the afternoon rather than on the Today programme in the morning”.