MP in hostage stunt

11.50.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 1st Jul 2009

You might think that at a time when two British hostages have recently been murdered and four of their colleagues are still missing with no way for their friends and relatives to know if they'll ever see them alive again that indulging in a hostage publicity stunt was no way for a sane MP to behave.

However the Wiltshire Times reports that West Wiltshire MP Dr Andrew Murrison and the so-called "Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire" John Bush will be 'kidnapped' on Monday and held hostage in a bid to raise money for charity.

The idea is they then raise a ransom to get released: Murrison will phone friends, relatives and colleagues to ask for their help with sponsorship. If you get such a phone call you will of course have the opportunity to tell the MP what you think.

Following the stunt our MP will get a free lunch.