Tory MP Shelbrooke vows to wear onesie for Commons vote

However one of the region’s MPs is preparing to turn all of that on its head by wearing a tiger-striped onesie in the House of Commons.

Alec Shelbrooke, the Conservative MP for the Elmet and Rothwell, is aiming to raise £5,000 for the Martin House Children’s Hospice in Boston Spa.

If he hits the figure, Mr Shelbrooke says he will go through the division lobby of the House of Commons wearing the Tony the Tiger-esque onesie.

It’s all in support of Martin House’s Good Night’s Sleep appeal, which aims to raise £120,000 to fund respite stays for families of children using the hospice.

Explaining his plans on fundraising website www.justgiving.com/ashelbrookemp, the MP said: “The appeal and the hospice aim to raise money to provide care for children and young people with short life expectancies and provide support to their families.

“The hospice is very dear to my heart, and is in my constituency.

“The appeal asks if people would stage pyjama parties, or go to work in their pyjamas to raise money, and an idea formed.

“I am aiming to raise £5,000 for the Good Night’s Sleep appeal and Martin House, and once this figure is raised I will walk through the Division Lobby at the Houses of Parliament in full view of the public, my peers, and the press wearing nothing but a onesie. Don’t think I’ll actually go through with it? Well, donate and find out!”

Mr Shelbrooke wore the onesie – complete with tiger tail, ears, paws and claws – on BBC2’s Daily Politics to publicise his fund-raising effort.

He told the programme he did not believe the orange-and-black costume would breach parliamentary rules on MPs’ attire.

By lunchtime yesterday, Mr Shelbrooke had raised just four donations totalling £60 via the JustGiving website. Martin House Children’s Hospice provides care for young people with life-limiting illnesses and support for their families.