Congratulations on your congratulations

Even Coaker himself looked embarrassed as wave after wave of adulation was lavished on him from around the room.

The Gedling MP's promotion from a junior Home Office minister to Minister of State for Police was announced a couple of days ago.

But colleagues at this morning's debate were so eager to congratulate him that it turned into some sort of weird cross-party love in.

Nottingham North MP Graham Allen, who called for the debate, started off: "It would be remiss of me not to congratulate my right honourable friend on his promotion.”

Later adding that improving drug awareness would; "require a minister, perhaps even a minister-of-state, with unique determination - a quality my honourable friend possesses in abundance."

Fair enough, the two Notts MPs do go back a few years. But then there was the Tory's James Brokenshire.

"I've always found him fair-minded and always very honourable in the way he has conducted his dealings."

The homage fest was hotting up now. Time for Lib Dem Tom Brake, whose praise was tinged with a hint of jealousy.

He said: "I'll keep my congratulations short because otherwise we may see the minister's head swelling from all the praise that he's received."

Let's not forget UKIP MP Bob Spink.

"It's lovely to have such a superb minister with us this morning and I congratulate him on his promotion," gushed the George-Formby-voiced member for Castlepoint.

"It's long overdue. He is one of the best, most caring and able-to-listen ministers in the House of Commons."

The new minister made a good go at humility when he stood up to respond, even sounding a little nervous.

He shouldn't worry though - the honeymoon period won’t last.