Heavily subsidised bar prices in the House of Commons left people pining for a career in politics today after the drinks list went viral on social media.
With a pint of Stella costing just £3.60 and a John Smith’s coming in at £2.60 it is easily the cheapest place to drink in central London, with many local Westminster establishments charging double that price.
Elsewhere MPs can also tuck into a British leek and potato soup for a pound and a penny in the Terrace Cafeteria and enjoy a three course meal of soup, steak and cheese for just over £15 in the Members’ Dining Room.
Subsidies
According to the latest stats taxpayers stumped up £57,000 a week to subsidise food and drink for politicians across both houses.
In the House of Commons the public had to find £1.7 million to fund MPs, their staff and guests in bars, canteens and restaurants.
The Terrace Cafeteria received a £646,000 subsidy, while the Peers’ Dining Room in the House of Lords was propped up by some £779,257 – leading to Liberal Democrat peer Lord Tyler to describe it as the “best day care centre for the elderly in London”.
10pm curfew
The government was forced into another embarrassing U-turn yesterday after it was revealed Houses of Parliament bars were exempt from the new 10pm curfew.
The regulations announced by the Prime Minister last week include exemptions that “workplace canteens may remain open where there is no practical alternative for staff at that workplace to obtain food”.
But after the decision to keep the bars open came in for cross-party criticism, Parliament announced a U-turn with immediate effect.
A spokesman said: “Alcohol will not be sold after 10pm anywhere on the parliamentary estate.”
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