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MPs urged to take up yoga to improve decision-making skills

MPs have been urged to take up yoga to improve their decision-making skills ahead of further key Brexit votes.

Tory Lord Kirkhope of Harrogate said yoga should be made “obligatory” for Members of the Commons to help them take decisions in a “sensible and responsible way”.

At question time in the Lords, Lord Kirkhope said yoga was “very beneficial for mental health,” as well as providing mindfulness and an “ability to give better judgments and relax”.

Mass yoga class
Participants in a yoga class conducted in the Royal Opera House (Jonathan Brady/PA)

To laughter, the former MP and ex-MEP said that as it helped people to make decisions in a sensible and responsible way “yoga should now be made obligatory for Members of the House of Commons”.

For the Government, the Earl of Courtown said Lord Kirkhope had made a very important point about the great benefits yoga gave.

“I have unrolled my yoga mat in my office and I’m waiting for a lesson from Baroness Barran, who is a teacher of yoga,” he added.

The exchanges came as peers across the House lauded the health benefits of yoga.

Lord Courtown said there was evidence that yoga helped to build strength in healthy adults and helped combat conditions like high blood pressure.

Labour’s Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe said yoga was helpful to people with mental health problems, back pain and in tackling addictions and other conditions.

Yoga could also help the NHS save money, he said.