The Leader of the House of Commons was met with thunderous laughter when she insisted that the Prime Minister is not hiding "under a desk". Penny Mordaunt made the remark in response to Labour MP Stella Creasy, who said it is the job of the Prime Minister to take big decisions on many issues.
In the absence of the Prime Minister, Ms Mordaunt had been answering questions from MPs in the Commons this afternoon. Ms Truss was earlier spotted leaving Downing Street in a silver Range Rover shortly before 3.50pm, before finally appearing briefly alongside her new Chancellor in the House of Commons at 4.30pm. The Prime Minister did not speak or answer any questions from MPs before leaving the chamber. Ms Mordaunt said the Prime Minister was not in the Commons earlier because she had "important business" to deal with, however, this business has not been explained. Follow our live coverage here.
Ms Creasy added: "All we know right now is, unless she tells us otherwise, the Prime Minister is cowering under her desk and asking for it all to go away. Isn't it about time she did and let somebody else who can make decisions in the British national interest get in charge instead?"
