MP plays mother of 4

Former Cabinet member Michael Portillo has swapped lives for a TV documentary - with a single mother of four.

The Tory MP spent a week caring for Jenny Miner's children, aged between eight and 12, on a budget of just £80 at the family's home in Wallasey, Merseyside.

Mr Portillo, who has no children, also took on her work at Asda for forthcoming BBC2 show My Week In The Real World. Producer Alison Cahn said: 'Michael thought it was much tougher than working in the Commons.'