Afzal Khan, Labour MP for Gorton in Greater Manchester, says he ‘may have broken Boris Johnson’ after grilling the PM on passport waiting times.
During yesterday’s PMQs, the Prime Minster was seen grimacing as Mr Khan addressed him over the the long turnaround times for passports.
The politician said that he had also received a late-night ‘angry letter’ from Home Secretary Priti Patel, accusing him of ‘scaremongering’.
Travellers are currently being advised to allow up to 10 weeks for new passports to be processed, owing to a surge in demand for international travel after the pandemic.
Labour MP for Gorton, Afzal Khan, discussing passport wait times at PMQs. Credit: Parliament TV
The Passport Office has insisted that there is ‘no backlog in passport processing’ but that there has been an ‘unprecedented demand’ for British passports now that travel restrictions have been lifted.
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Mr Khan began his address to the House of Commons by saying: “Mr Speaker, I’d have more sympathy for the words ‘Get on with the job’ if it had actually started in the first place,” a statement that was greeted with laughter.
He then said: “Two weeks ago, the Prime Minister told the House: ‘To the best of my knowledge, everybody is getting their passport within four to six weeks.’
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“However, the passport office is currently quoting a 10 week service time, with many of my constituents waiting well over that period.
“Cancelled summer trips could cost families over £1bn. Does the PM accept that the passport office backlog is placing additional pressure on families already struggling with the cost of living crisis?”
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Mr Johnson insisted that 91% of people are receiving their passports within six weeks, and that hundreds more staff are helping the Passport Office to catch up with demand.
He added that the huge demand is a sign of ‘the robustness of the economy’.
Labour MP for Gorton Afzal Khan at PMQs. Credit: Parliament TV
Sharing a clip of their exchange in the Commons, the Gorton MP said: “I think I may have broken @BorisJohnson.”
He later posted: “I clearly cut too close to the bone with my question on passport delays yesterday because at half past ten last night @pritipatel sent me an angry letter accusing me of scaremongering ¯_(ツ)_/¯”
The Passport Office advises: “We urge people who need a new passport to apply for one as soon as possible to ensure their passport arrives in time for the peak summer season. We do offer urgent services for applicants who need a passport more quickly. However, in busy periods these are booked quickly.
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“Customers can also help to ensure there are no delays with their application, such as using a high quality photo with a digital code, applying online and applying for a new passport more than 10 weeks before they are due to travel.
“And it is important to stress, you should not book travel until you have a valid passport – your new passport will not have the same passport number as your old one.”
Featured image: Parliament TV
UK News
Tyson Fury vs Anthony Joshua fight FINALLY booked
Danny Jones
It seems like it’s official: Tyson Fury is finally set to fight Anthony Joshua – and it sounds like it’s happening this year.
Put it this way, it better be worth all the hype after all this time.
Arguably one of the most anticipated all-British bouts of the last few decades, the boxing match between Fury and Joshua is one that fight fans, and even those only occasionally interested in the sport, have been waiting to be booked for ages.
It got to a point where we almost started to think we’d never get to see it come to fruition whatsoever, but now promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed that it’s all locked in.
As you can see, putting things in the simplest terms possible, the Matchroom Boxing boss said on social media: “Signed, sealed, delivered! AJ v Fury is on!”
This comes after a previous post, in which he wrote: “The biggest piece of business we’ve ever done, but more importantly, the one we’ve always wanted.
“Biggest year of AJ’s career coming up, the comeback is on.”
Tagging the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority (GEA) and co-founder of Zuffa Boxing, Turki Al-Sheikh, the government official looks to have recently held a major event in which he hosted several big sporting names.
It was already heavily expected that any potential clash would take place in the Middle East, and it now looks like nailed on that it will be part of the country’s annual ‘Riyadh Season’.
Although things have been relatively tight-lipped on Fury‘s side, ‘The Gypsy King’ did share a little reaction of his own online…
Still more of a teaser on his end than full verification, we hope they’re not going to lead us down the garden path on this one; boxing heads have waited long enough for this one.
The 37-year-old Manchester-born boxer returned to the ring after yet ANOTHER ‘retirement’ earlier this month, winning comfortably against Arslanbek Makhmudov.
Meanwhile, Joshua, now 36, will be making his own comeback of sorts against Kristian Prenga on July 25 – this will also be taking place in Riyadh.
Featured Images — Netflix (screenshots via YouTube)
UK News
Claire’s is closing down stores in the UK and Ireland with more than 1,300 jobs set to be lost
Danny Jones
In another hit to domestic shoppers, Claire’s Accessories is closing down en masse across the UK and Ireland after entering into administration once again.
Falling into an unfortunate financial status for the second time in less than a year, Claire’s will be shutting down all of their standalone stores across Britain, along with their IE branches.
A total of 154 stores will soon disappear, with more than a thousand people set to be put out of work.
Once a mainstay of British high streets up and down the country, the accessory shop known for all things jewellery, piercings and more has ceased trading effective immediately.
Announced at the start of the week and the end of the first full month of Q2, it was confirmed that Claire’s closed their final locations on Monday, 27 April.
With administrators, Kroll, appointed to wrap up business proceedings, an estimated 1,300 English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh workers have now lost their jobs.
Founded way back in 1961 over in the United States, Claire’s has operated across the Atlantic for more than three decades.
However, with various other contemporaries and cheaper online options having appeared over the years, they’ve struggled not just to remain profitable but to compete full stop.
They most recently filed for bankruptcy in the US this past August (2025), with their Belgian, Spanish, and Dutch divisions having already called it quits.
Manchester location(s) have changed a lot over time, but now they’re on the way out (Credit: Arndale)
For many, the outcome isn’t all that surprising, but it will nevertheless be a sad loss for many who have seen multiple generations visit these venues over the years.
Daisy Jackson -
9th June 2022 
