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Speaker's wig goes missing just before the State Opening of Parliament, says Lindsay Hoyle

Sir Lindsay Hoyle was elected to the Speaker's chair on Tuesday
Sir Lindsay Hoyle was elected to the Speaker's chair on Tuesday Credit:  JESSICA TAYLOR/ JESSICA TAYLOR

The Speaker's wig has gone missing, scuppering plans by Sir Lindsay Hoyle to wear his full ceremonial attire for Thursday's State Opening of Parliament.

Sir Lindsay, who was confirmed as Speaker of the House of Commons by MPs on Tuesday, set out his plans to wear the full bottomed wig when he was elected to the 900-year-old office last month.

However an extensive search of the House of Commons has failed to track down the wig which was last worn by Speaker Bernard Weatherill before his retirement in 1992.

The habit of the Speaker wearing the wig in the chair then fell out of fashion after Lord Weatherill's successor Betty Boothroyd refused to put it on.

The last known whereabouts of the horsehair...

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