Drinking on the job. Hannah Spencer criticised after raising bar concerns.

@Desperatelyseekinglazysusan Lots of things are more dangerous than a mp or worker having a drunk! It’s all about priorities. Having an easy pop is student politics. No depth of thinking.

Some of those getting their knickers twisted by adults having a drink would be appalled if they realised the extent of cocaine misuse on the estate

It's not just MP's. It's amongst all workers in Parliament, which could be anyone. Also the same link said 35% of Construction workers reported drunkenness at work, so higher than in Parliament! Maybe Hannah Spencer should have been berating construction workers if she was doing any onsite plumbing. Never mind voting whilst drunk (no evidence this is happening) she should maybe he campaigning about this as it's far more dangerous.

Well 4/5 complaints were not alcohol fuelled! So let’s just agree we have too many useless MPs!

Here you go…https://movendi.ngo/news-stories/new-uk-parliament-watch-dog-report-reveals-alcohols-continued-role-in-misconduct-in-parliament/

Can you cite your source please so we can judge for ourselves?

The numbers were more than 4.

But hey, you’re entitled to not think that’s a problem. Just like I’m entitled to think that it is problematic and a culture that probably needs addressing.

You repeated this a zillion times on another thread.

The actual numbers turned out to be about four. Also whilst the report stated alcohol was significant in those cases it did not say how they assessed that significance or what other factors were involved or how the incident were initiated. Any large employer or leisure facility will have cases where “alcohol had been consumed” in complaints even where they don’t serve alcohol on the premises.

There are tens of thousands of people going through the bars and restaurants every year, most of whom are not MPs or Westminster staff. They are also not just “working place” facilities, they are also a secure evening/out of hours leisure facility for MPs and staff who are away from home and may have good reason to avoid public places without security

There are plenty of things to address at Westminster, this is just posturing and I notice she proposed no actual evidence of her claims of drunks supposedly not knowing how to vote (has she not yet grasped the whipping system?) or any better solutions for secure leisure and hospitality facilities. I agree with the PPs suggesting it was clickbait or an MP who knew sod all about the workplace she was entering.

Top priority for UK inc - sorting the prices in the Commons bar!

Great to see our MPs focussing on the really important stuff!

And FWIW … I don’t necessarily think drinking should be banned. I just think we shouldn’t be painting the situation as entirely unproblematic when clearly there are issues which should be addressed.

So you don’t think alcohol ever plays a part in cases of bullying, harassment or sexual misconduct? Are you saying the independent reports from the ICGS which clearly states that alcohol was a frequent factor in the complaints they deal with are wrong?

Also - our embassies are staffed by the civil service - they never ever offer drinks to anyone? Of course they do. Getting drunk is not acceptable but having a glass of wine with colleagues is. Drink doesn’t make someone bully others. Their ego dies that.

The independent report stated that alcohol played a significant part in those complaints.

You don’t think alcohol contributing to complaints of bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct as problematic?

@HighLadyofTheNightCourtit's power imbalance, the rarity of jobs on the estate that makes young people not want to rock the boat, and concentrated entitled males drunk on their own importance that's the problem - not alcohol.

Exactly this

It isn't subsidised, it's at cost price.

Being an MP is a job like few others. Irregular, late hours. Away from family and home.

I left parliament years ago (not an MP) and for 95% it's not problematic. Hannah's trying to make a point.

They target Muslim support @MeetMeOnTheCorner

@Ophir Really? No proof of that. They aren’t the tree huggers of old. More likely to be anti semitic far left supports. Are they non drinkers? Since when?

@Owly11 I agree. If MPs have been at Westminster from 9-9, who says they cannot reasonably have a drink and chat to colleagues? It’s not civil service hours! Who has ever thought it impairs judgement? MPs just vote to order in the main. They do lots of other work and this constant criticism is just crass.

Simple answer is to put MPs and Peers into the governance of the Civil Service code.
No drinking during working hours, no freebies or unsolicited gifts, etc.

I hate people who arrive at a very long established work place and instead of getting a feel for the place and getting to know people they immediately think they know better and go round telling everyone else how they ought to do things. She's a moralistic idiot with an over inflated sense of entitlement and of her own importance. Any criticism of her is entirely deserved.

She's right. The house of commons is full of coked up alcoholics who have subsidised fine dining and it's a piss take.

Someone pointed out that this is because lots of their supporters don’t drink

What your thoughts on the independent report that stated alcohol played a significant role in complaints relating to bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct?

There is a complaints procedure in place. If she sees misconduct she should report it. If she has a problem with beer being more expensive in her constituency campaign against the Minimum wage. People should not be drunk in the HoC but they are voting at 10pm so probably had a drink with an evening meal. She made a comment, saw she got loads of her supporters going ' Yeah why are MPs falling down drunk in Parliament?' and repeated it. What else has she done apart from tiktoks and photo oops?