29 March 2023 , 12:45
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Dominic Raab appeared to confuse Paul O’Grady with Larry Grayson or Grayson Perry as he paid tribute at PMQs.
The Deputy PM, who was standing in for Rishi Sunak, got muddled as MPs celebrated the TV and radio star following his unexpected death.
Mr Raab told the Commons that “Paul Grayson was an incredible comic”, before he was interrupted by heckles.
It was announced this morning that O'Grady had died suddenly at the age of 67, throwing the entertainment world into mourning.
In Parliament, Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said he was “a national treasure and a true Northern star” who “will be greatly missed”.
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Sir Chris Bryant, the Labour MP, also paid tribute to the late activist, TV presenter and comedian.
Paul O'Grady as alter ego Lily Savage (Fremantle Media/REX/Shutterstock)
Comedian Larry Grayson hosted the Generation Game (Handout)He asked Mr Raab: "I don't know whether the Deputy Prime Minister ever met Lily Savage or has ever spent a night out at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, but Lily was... I can take him some time if he wants to go?"
As MPs erupted in laughter, Sir Chris continued: "Her alter ego Paul O'Grady campaigned acerbically and hilariously for elderly people, for care workers, against oppression of every kind. Isn't it time we in this country celebrated our naughty, hilarious drag queens and comics of every kind who inspire us to be a better and more generous nation?"
Mr Raab said: "I totally agree with him: Paul Grayson was an incredible comic", before correcting himself.
He continued: "Paul O'Grady... but in terms of Lily Savage, I think some of that comedy broke glass ceilings and broke boundaries in a way certainly politicians would struggle to do. So I agree with that.
Tributes have been paid to Paul O'Grady after he died unexpectedly aged 67 (Ben Perry/REX/Shutterstock)"I also think it shows how we need greater, more rambunctious free speech, and we need to avoid the wokery and the limitations on comedy, which I'm afraid both of them would have had no time for."
Earlier Chris Smith, who was the first MP to talk publicly about being HIV-positive, said O'Grady "fought nobly for the things that were important"..
In a statement, the former Labour cabinet minister said: "Paul was one of a kind, was a very special person, brought huge joy to countless people, and fought nobly for the things that were important."