Laura's shock X Factor exit reaches Parliament

Culture Secretary Andy Burnham raised the shock exit of The X Factor favourite Laura White at Question Time in Parliament on Monday.

Mr Burnham was commenting on the Radio 2 prank call scandal, and said that MPs 'should resist that temptation to comment on editorial matters... Although the temptation is great in my case, having seen the wonderful and talented Laura White very harshly voted off X Factor on Saturday."

As well, other X Factor fans have waded into the debate, with more than three thousand signing a petition for Laura to be reinstated.

According to BBC News, some people who signed the petition claimed they were unable to get through to vote for the 21-year-old. Ian Bagley, for one, called the show a'total fix' after he said he was unable to phone through.

But an X Factor spokeswoman said there were 'absolutely no issues with the phone lines'.

She added: "Our viewers vote for the act they want to keep in the competition and last Saturday, Laura White and Ruth Lorenzo received the least number of votes."

Similar fan protests were seen last year after Rhydian Roberts was voted off the contest - with media watchdog Ofcom receiving as many as 1,500 complaints.

Ladbrokes spokesman Nick Weinberg said Laura's exit had been the 'biggest upset in X Factor history'.