Surprise as Wacko Jacko visits MPs

Michael Jackson visited the Houses of Parliament today in a bizarre PR stunt, accompanied by a psychic, an escapologist, a Cabinet minister and a Seventies singer.

In one of the most extraordinary scenes ever witnessed on the terrace of the Commons, the singer stood underneath an umbrella in case the sun's rays damaged his skin, and sang "Happy Birthday" to Paul Boateng, Chief Secretary to the Treasury .

It was not clear how the star had managed to pull off such a strange PR coup involving two senior Government figures. Mr Boateng, who is proud to have become the country's first black Cabinet minister, has little in common with the entertainer, who has been fiercely criticised by American black campaigners for having his skin whitened.

Even more curious was the fact that the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine, also gave the star 20 minutes of his time for a private meeting in his apartment. Jackson was allowed to see his office, decorated with the expensive Pugin wallpaper which caused such controversy for the Lord Chancellor

Lord Irvine's advisers maintained that the visit had been organised by Lord Janner, a Labour peer who knows the singer. Psychic Uri Geller, escapologist David Blaine and singer Patti Boulaye also turned up for the event.

The visit descended into total farce from the moment when Jackson, surrounded by his bodyguards, stepped onto the terrace of the House of Commons. He whispered to the scrum of journalists and TV cameras that he thought the Commons was "lovely" but looked shaken at the attention his visit had caused.

Some of his younger fans were screaming out "Michael" from Westminster Bridge, overlooking the Commons terrace, while scores of caterers, policemen, officials and other staff also came out to see the singer.

Along with Ms Boulaye, the entourage then sang "Happy Birthday" to a plainly dumbfounded Mr Boateng, who simply kept giggling repeating: " This is amazing - I'm lost for words."

The minister, who is 51 today, claimed that he had only had 15 minutes' warning of the visit, which had been arranged by Lord Janner, a Labour peer who is a friend of Mr Geller.

During the tour, the entourage were shown around Westminster Hall, the Commons Chamber, and other rooms. At several points during the visit Jackson stopped to touch up his make-up with a sponge and whenever he stepped outside, the umbrella was put up by an official, to shield his skin from the sun.

In the Royal Gallery and Robing Room Jackson was mobbed by tourists but shook hands and signed autog raphs. The star declared the Lords to be his favourite room. He pointed at the gold throne and said: "I want that!"

Lord Janner joked to the assembled throng: "The best thing would be if I could get David Blaine to balance on top of Big Ben while Uri stopped the clock."