Arsenal fans with their hands on the levers of power could be holding up progress on Spurs' new stadium, it has been suggested.

Tottenham MP David Lammy asked whether Eric Pickles, the minister in charge of the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) was an Arsenal supporter.

Spurs cannot begin work on the planned stadium until a decision is made by DCLG on whether to grant the council a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) for the remaining land.

Mr Lammy has argued that the decision is long overdue.

Planning Minister Nick Boles replied to Mr Lammy’s question by repeating that the decision on whether to grant the CPO must be “robust” and that the case was “complex”.

He said: “I would never dare tread into the question of people's football loyalties, particularly not at this time.”

Commons speaker John Bercow, however, interrupted the debate to announce that he “most certainly” was an Arsenal fan, adding that he was “very proud of it”.