To think MPs shouldn’t be drinking while at work?

Having on site facilities seens sensible as they can’t just pop out to boots for a meal deal and you don’t want them sat in local pizza express discussing anything that can be overheard.

it should be priced like a decent work canteen is -though it may well make a loss like a work canteen may.

Has she? I was looking for some examples recently and could find nothing beyond the odd clickbait statement. Nothing detailed or meaningful in terms of policy discussion and debate.

I find it fascinating that he is with the Greens. Tories, Liberal or Labour would all have grabbed her - a local, personable and photogenic candidate, already on the council, started her own business and made a pile of money and very personable. She used to promote buy to let as a business model, not sure if she is still involved in that. She also seems to rack up a hell of a lot of airmiles every year - very unlike our own dear Caroline. Her acceptance speech was all about how its impossible for young people these days (despite being living proof of the opposite). So I figured that maybe she is taking the opportunism that the party now represents rather than pursuing and interest in environmental and sustainable policies. Time will tell I guess.

On the subject of “drinking at work" - if I have a team working late into the evening then yes, the food is ordered in and if they want a beer with that they can have it. If teams are working away from home they will go for dinner (and yes, some have a beer or a glass of wine) and then often carry on the work discussions after.

MPs are in much the same situation. If they have to wait around for a late vote I see no reason why they shouldn’t go down to the restaurants for dinner and a glass of wine or beer.

Should they be drunk? No obviously not but all this “thou shalt not have a glass of wine with dinner” smacked of clickbait puritanism, especially from the party espousing class 1 drugs available for all.

Because you want to take something away from them that they enjoy. You may not think drinking at work is necessary but why does that matter? We don't ban things because they are unnecessary.

I do not think it is hypocrisy in the slightest. I don't think people working late must have scheduled alcohol breaks, but if the job role and duties allow for a break, and that person feels like they want to use that break to enjoy a drink before returning to duties I don't think that is a problem.

As previously mentioned, that doesn't extend to people driving, operating heavy machinery or performing surgery as drink clearly impedes a role where you have others lives literally there and then in your hands.

Many people have a positive relationship with alcohol and it has been part of British life for a long time. If individuals drink to the extent it affects their behaviour and ability to do the job, deal with them as individuals, don't use a hammer to crack a nut and remove an enjoyable pleasure from the majority.

It's anachronistic and hypercritical of them but then many if the things our MPs do are.

Apologies all, here's the latest price list. Don't know when that one was from.

https://www.parliament.uk/globalassets/documents/commons-catering/transparency/2025/autumn-winter/strangers-bar-tariff-25.pdf

You keep talking about how we are paying MPs salaries. If we are going down that route then NHS workers shouldn't be sleeping on the job. Policeman shouldn't go on their personal phones whilst guarding a crime scene etc etc. Army cadets shouldn't be paid to go on ski trips.

There would be a hundred examples of this.

Plenty of deals and work gets decided over a drink. It's part of British culture and although that's died down in many sectors - not all!

Well I work in corporate office. Have done for 30 years. All my friends do in different companies

perfectly acceptable to have an alcoholic drink at lunch . Never been a problem, nor sackable. Nor should it. Of course if you’re turning up drunk everyday that’s a problem, but a drink on a Friday with colleagues, perfectly fine and not unusual at all

I think she's right, but I'd have also thought that of all the things she could have used for her parlimentary time, she could have found something that would have more impact on people's lives, rather than just draw loads of attention. It's disappointing TBH.

In the early 80s, the Interpol office on the 14th floor of New Scotland Yard used to have a party every Wednesday afternoon. The coppers would pass the hat around, and at lunchtime head out to the off licence, returning with crates of booze. The answering machines would be switched on, faxes and modems ignored, and staff from other floors would flock in to join us. Drinking went on into the evening and often continued in local pubs. I know of at least one colleague who shagged someone in the photocopier room 🫣

Since when is banning alcohol AT WORK an act of flagellation?
I'm not anti alcohol at all but I don't think it is necessary to have a drink while working.

The hypocrisy of MN is astounding sometimes.
On any other thread someone saying they deserved to have a drink at work and shouldn't be expected to work late without having the opportunity to drink alcohol would be called an alcoholic.

Are you seriously asking that?

Drinking alcohol at lunchtimes in the middle of a working day is very 1990 - early 2k.

I've not known it happen for so long now, I struggle to remember when I last did it - probably in a non customer facing role at Norwich Union.

You'd be surprised how busy city centre pubs are with workers at lunchtime though; if a solicitors or some other non customer facing industry is particularly old school then a quick pint and a sandwich in a pub will be a regular thing.

It's like drink driving for some..couple of pints, no harm, won't make a difference - only it does. Any level of alcohol effects you.

Is Hannah Smith correct? obviously right wing voters and supporters will say no, it's harmless and she should stop being the fun police.

Personally I think MP's don't think any normal societal expectations apply to them so this will never end.

Yes it is my opinion. I don't think it is acceptable for MPs to drink alcohol while at work. The working hours are irrelevant.

I worked in an office in the 80s and we always went for a pub lunch on Friday - only one drink though
Wouldn’t dream of it now - only day drink on holiday - at weekends locally we usually go out for coffee instead

Ok, but that’s your opinion. Others have a different one.

Every company I have worked for beyond the mid 90s did not allow people to drink at lunch time, or any time of the working day.

Conflating drinking at lunch time with the Greens policy on drugs shows you don’t actually understand their policy on drugs. It actually aligns with their drugs policy if you care to take the time to look.

So an MP, who has been working in their commons office all morning, then debating in the chamber all afternoon, votes, and has 1 small glass of wine while awaiting the results of the vote is somehow doing wrong? If so, why? Do you think their ability to wait for a result is impacted? Why would you ban it unless you just wanted to flagellate someone and restrict them because they are doing a job?

Do you object to a newspaper editor working all day, having a couple of pints after their hard work is done before going back in to the office to check something or send an email?

Again, not an excuse to be drinking while working!
Don’t do the job if this is a problem.

I didn't say it was.

But if your job is 365 days a year, the implication is that you can only ever drink while on vacation.

Lots of people work in jobs that are not 9-5 or fully desk based. I don't think that's an excuse to be drinking alcohol while working.

What most people dont realise is that an MPs job is not a 9-5 desk based job where the office is in Westminster.

It's a 365 day role.

The Commons used to be a place where sittings happened late because MPs were allowed jobs and did the business in afternoons and evenings, even having late night sittings to get government business done.

It was changed, in part to make it more female-friendly as we have increased the number of women MPs and as men do more of the household work (ok, not that bit)

In that context drinking and eating on the premises made a lot more sense.

Just because she says something doesn’t mean I believe it to be true.

Of course it is not appalling to have a drink. What would be unacceptable is to be drunk.

Two entirely different things.

Of course taxpayers pay for this - all the catering in parliament is subsidised, famously cheap food and drink for very well paid people, so of course we pay for their steak dinners and booze.

That's the spirit ha ha 😂