A Liberal Democrat MP bizarrely called for a boycott of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year yesterday— because a Rugby League player was left off the shortlist.

Greg Mulholland, MP for Leeds North West, is even going to the trouble of tabling a motion in the House of Commons after Sam Burgess was omitted from the list.

Mr Mulholland, who is also the chairman of the Parliament’s rugby league group, has nothing better to do than be outraged that the former Bradford forward was not recognised for his contribution to South Sydney Rabbitohs’ NRL title triumph in Australia.