Jeremy Corbyn misses out on prestigious Westminster role due to technicality

Jeremy Corbyn has narrowly missed out on the prestigious role of becoming Father of the House of Commons - all because he was behind in a queue in 1983.

Sir Edward Leigh will take over the title for being the MP with the longest continuous service after Sir Peter Bottomley, who was elected to Parliament in June 1975, lost his seat at the General Election.

Sir Edward, the Gainsborough MP, was elected in the same June 1983 poll as Mr Corbyn, meaning they have both been parliamentarians for more than 40 years.

But when the pair were getting sworn in, the Islington North MP was behind in the queue - meaning that Sir Edward takes the title instead.

If two or more members have the same length of current uninterrupted service, then whoever was sworn in earliest, as listed in Hansard, is named as Father of the House.

Under standing order number one, as long as the Father of the House is not a minister, he takes the chair when the House elects a Speaker. He has no other formal duties.

There is evidence of the title having been used in the 18th century. However, the origin of the term is not clear and it is likely that different qualifications were used in the past.

The Father of the House is not necessarily the oldest member.

As the holder of the record as longest-ever continuously serving female MP in the House of Commons, Harriet Harman was dubbed the "Mother of the House" by prime minister Theresa May.

Ms Harman, who is being elevated to the House of Lords, did not stand for re-election in 2024.

Meanwhile, the so-called baby of the house - or youngest MP - is now 22-year-old Sam Carling.

The Labour MP ousted veteran Conservative MP Shailesh Vara, who lost his North West Cambridgeshire seat by 39 votes.

Mr Vara had held the seat for nearly 20 years.