A Green MP has voiced her discomfort over the pervasive alcohol culture within the Westminster estate, claiming she can detect the smell of alcohol on fellow politicians as they proceed to vote.
Hannah Spencer's Criticism
Hannah Spencer, who secured a surprising victory for the Green Party in the Gorton & Denton by-election in February, has spoken out against what she describes as an 'unprofessional' environment in Parliament. In an interview with Politics Joe, Spencer, who prides herself on being the first female plumber to become an MP, emphasised her outsider perspective.
'I'm really uneasy about - and I noticed this the other day - when you can smell the alcohol when people are in between votes... as everyone's going in to vote, some people have been drinking,' she said. Spencer recounted walking past a room and doubling back to see people drinking, questioning whether such behaviour would be tolerated in other professions.
'I can't imagine if a cleaner did that or someone working in a bank - like, had a few drinks and then went back to work smelling of alcohol - that wouldn't happen,' she added. Spencer argued that the drinking culture contributes to 'questionable and dangerous behaviour' among MPs and staff.
Taxpayer Subsidised Bars
The controversy over subsidised bars on the parliamentary estate is long-standing. Strangers' Bar, the main venue, charges £5.45 for a pint of Carlsberg, compared to around £7 in nearby pubs. Alcohol-free beers have been introduced at lower prices. In 2023-24, Strangers' Bar recorded £305,000 in sales but made a £56,000 loss, despite no rent costs. The overall Commons catering operation required £7.4 million in taxpayer subsidies in 2024-25, attributed to irregular hours and a limited clientele.
Parliamentary Commissioner's View
Daniel Greenberg, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, acknowledged in 2023 that there have been 'behaviour problems' linked to alcohol, but stressed it is for MPs to decide on changes. 'It is something that MPs are looking at for themselves,' he said, noting that attitudes to alcohol in the workplace have shifted across society.
Spencer concluded by highlighting the disconnect: 'That is what I find very out of touch about that place... the vast majority of us that have come from like backgrounds of normal jobs - that's not how the world works, so why does it work in somewhere where arguably the most important decisions get made?'
