Peer says he ‘did not report wife’s stolen credit card as thief spent less than her’

A peer in the House of Lords has said he did not report his wife’s stolen credit card because the thief spent less than she did.

With a deadpan delivery, Lord Mackenzie of Framwellgate left the chamber unsure whether he was joking or not as he recalled the incident on Tuesday 19 March.

The former police chief, a non-affiliated peer, said: “My wife, on one of her rare visits to London, had her credit card stolen.

“And I monitored the use of the card and I have to say I didn’t report it to the police, because the thief was spending less than she was.”

Peers across the Lords erupted into laughter at his comment.