An MP broke down in tears on Tuesday over the death of his mother-in-law as a minister was questioned about reports of a lockdown-breaking garden party at Downing Street.

Jim Shannon, the DUP MP for Strangford, was asking Michael Ellis, the Paymaster General, to ensure “full and complete disclosure” around the alleged events of May 20, 2020.

“In Northern Ireland, we reached the milestone of 3,000 deaths due to Covid just last week,” Mr Shannon told the Commons. “Three thousand people who followed the rules and [for whom] we grieve today, including my mother-in-law, who died alone.”

Mr Shannon began to cry and apologised to Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Commons Speaker, as he demanded clarity on whether those invited to a “bring your own booze” event had acted “within the regulations”.