How do Parliament really occur?

During the investigation of the alleged spicing incident, the closure of the Strangers bar at the House of Commons has given light to the Westminster’s drinking culture and what is going on in many of its watering holes.

You are definitely never away from the bar of Westminster Palace.

For centuries, British politics has floated on the tide of alcohol. The drink is part of the fabric of this place, but the beverages of Parliament are not the same as you can imagine.

Especially reserved for MPs and colleagues – in deep parts of the ancient building – such as the Punkin Room or Members’ smoke room (which is now smoking), may experience the club of Mefare Gentlemen, all leather chairs and Cool tone.

But the most popular place of Estate, The Wulasack, is like a traditional British pub you will find in any market chowk or high street.

As of 2018, it was called Sports and Social Club, but after gaining reputation for drunk quarrels and other misdeeds, it was again branded and placed under the new management.

A little dilapidated and old school, with its wooden paneling, trophy cabinets and a carpet who have seen better days, it does a strong trade with the young crowd after work.

It is here that researchers, parliamentary employees and sometimes MPs come to talk and gossip.

It is not easy to find it, it is hidden in an courtyard between loading bay and there is no indication outside, which adds clubbing spirit of specificity that must be part of attraction.

It is open to pass holders with a maximum of two guests and taking photographs or filming is strictly forbidden.

Prices are also attractive. You can get a pint of the House of Lords Legue at £ 4.30, for example, a pint of San Miguel in £ 5.25 or a small glass of Sovenan Blanc in £ 5.60.

This is quite cheap for Central London. Similar drinks in the pub within easy walking distance from Parliament, such as Red Lion, St. Stephens Tavern or Markwis of Grabbi will take you a little more back (according to our comprehensive research).

Parliamentary officials emphasize that the property is not directly subsidized on beverages on the property – and they are “benchmark” against prices in the outside world.

But the Commons Catering Department, which oversees the banquet services with 27 times, restaurants and cafes, was given a subsidy of £ 6.4m by taxpayers in 2022/23, according to it. Annual account.

Until it was closed, the Strangers Bar also traded fiercely, especially in the summer months when the commons served the drinks on the roof and enjoyed the magnificent scenes of the Temes.

It is small and is more expensive than The Wulasack, but has also seen poor behavior in the last few years.

When late night meetings were more common, it was filled with drunk MPs and party consciousnesses, who tried to keep them in line.

If journalists want to talk to an MP, then traditionally they go to the Strangers.

(Westminster Press Pack has its own bar and café, Monchrif, named after the late and famous Press Association reporter Chris Monchrifs, but very few people use it.)

With the corridor of the Strangers, you will find the function room which is another center of the social life of Westminster, mostly hosting reception and programs in the evening where (free) liquor flows.

On the condition of anonymity, a member of the catering staff told me that the enthusiasm could sometimes climb the heads of the guests.

He says, “I have never seen anyone vomiting. I have seen four or five vomiting.”

He says that most of the MPs are humble and humble towards employees, but like most things of Westminster, when there is a bad behavior, it is divided according to the party lines.

He laughs and says, “More showy Tory MPs would say ‘Do you know who I am?’. Labor MPs say ‘Do you know how important I am?”

One thing he has noticed has noticed that new MPs show less alcohol -drinking crowd than his predecessors.

Last July general election was unexpectedly eliminated MPs and many of the 350 new MPs are young and are more likely to have school children.

One of the new people, 40 -year -old Liberal Democrat Steff Aquaron believes that the Bar culture of Westminster has surpassed its sales so far.

“This is one of the remaining places where drinking alcohol at the workplace is still possible. Most of the people of the industry have moved beyond this.”

The MP of North Norfolk says that it is “problematic” because “it creates all types of circumstances where behavior is not only undesirable but in some cases completely toxic and eventually accepted as a price of socialization Are done “.

Common leader Lucy Powell Argued this week It is more secure for MPs and their employees to drink alcohol in Westminster bar than normal pubs in London, where they are protected by security guards and code of conduct.

Aquaron says that he understands Powell but argues that some people in Parliament need to be protected from colleagues.

“If I wanted to go for a drink with my team, I could choose anywhere in London where no one would know who we were and no one would know that we were there and it was really a safe night There is a far more secure way to spend. “

A new Labor MP said that many of the new entry are children over 30 years of age and their young children, when there is no voting till 10 pm on Monday night, they can drink some alcohol, but MP They are more aware that they should not drink alcohol with employees.

He said that the roof had provided a good place to know new colleagues in the last summer and they were tied to alcohol, but the old labor MPs who used to drink alcohol during lunch have gone.

In fact, some new MPs are insisting on closing or even completely shutting down the bar of Parliament at lunch under the modernization program.

This will not be good for general parliamentary employees or many of the 14,500 pass holders who have access to pubs and bars on estate.

A woman working in Parliament for about three decades tells me, “Parliament is a unique place, it is like a village, why should we not be a bar? It is the House of Parliament, not Ibisa.”

She is enjoying Pint after working with a friend in Lord’s Terrace Bar, with a slight benign experience of the airport lounge and which attracts an older crowd.

They both think that the public has a misconception about drinking alcohol in the Westminster – they say, friends are always disappointed when they get to see how the bar really happens.

“This is just a place to relax and interact with her friends,” the woman says, when she takes out her pint and draws her coat.

It is certainly difficult to imagine life in the Westminster without pubs and bars, but the social outlook is changing at the entrance of its historical beverages.

Perhaps one day they will call time.

Additional reporting by BBC political correspondent and order author Ben Wright! order! The uplift and collapse of drinking political alcohol.