Watch As Tory MP Falls Asleep During Commons Debate On Brexit

Sir Desmond Swayne grabbed 40 winks in clear view of the TV cameras
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Brexit might be getting a bit boring for most people, but you would think MPs would at least manage to stay awake while it’s debated.

But it seems that for Conservative MP Sir Desmond Swayne, the allure of catching some winks was just too much to resist in the Commons this afternoon.

The MP for New Forest West let himself slip off to the Land of Nod while Tory veteran Ken Clarke was discussing the Charter for Fundamental Rights.

Unfortunately for the 62-year-old, he was seated right behind the former Chancellor while he was speaking, meaning his power-nap was caught on camera.

After a good 40-seconds of sleeping, Sir Desmond woke up and a smile crept across his lips as he realised he hadn’t been giving full attention to proceedings.

Sir Desmond is by no means the first MP to be accused of falling asleep during a Commons debate.

In 2012 Labour’s Stephen Pound seemed to nod off during a debate about the deaths of British soldiers in Afghanistan.

He denied sleeping, saying instead he was “concentrating”.

Stephen Pound, right, said he was "concentrating", not sleeping, in 2012.
Stephen Pound, right, said he was "concentrating", not sleeping, in 2012.
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