To wonder why MPs have cheap bars?

[bigbadshewolf]

Been mentioned in media a lot lately re 'drink fuelled' culture and there being several cheap bars in Houses of Parliament. Why are they there? Why are they cheap? Assuming it's public funds subsidising? Anybody know?

I agree it is very outdated.

As with the hospitals, there used to be a bar at the old New Scotland Yard too but it got turned into a gym as the culture changed. Seems like parliament are the most outdated, unsurprisingly.

That said, in a lot of the new hipster office spaces in London it seems de rigeur to have a cool coffee and booze bar in the atrium. Seen that recently in both public and private sector organisations. Not subsidised though.

Politics is about negotiation, conversation, diplomacy. I know MPs are shitheads but let's not cut our nose off to spite our face.

What other business has a subsidised bar!? Truly disgusting.

But the pool we have at the moment is a really privileged pool. We need more MPs from ordinary backgrounds who want to be an MP because they want to help people. Currently a lot of those in politics are there to ensure their own interests and that of big business.

I would remove all subsidised anything and the fact they're allowed multiple jobs. If you're an MP that's your job.

People would still do the job even for £60k a year. Look at all the teachers, medical professionals, emergency services etc doing challenging jobs for much less than £60k.

Its a wonder they don't get an alcohol allowance, they seem to get allowances for everything else. There's that many things they can claim expenses for it's a wonder they even need to touch their wages. Aren't they exempt from the smoking ban in their bars too.

There are some very naive comments on here = people assuming many things.

Many businesses entertain clients and will visit restaurants, bars, corporate events with clients and the claim it all back. Drinking and eating is nothing new. What MPs are doing is no different.

Our old police station had a bar on site and we had some great (cheap) nights there.

Is there a link saying it’s subsided? I may have missed it.

I always assumed it was just closer to cost price, like work canteens. Alcohol in bars and restaurants has a huge mark up.

Hospitals have them too.
When I worked in the city, every bank also had its own bar.

MPs and Peers are often at work until v late waiting for votes. They may not be working but can’t leave in case of votes being called. Many will entertain guests in the bars during this time.

In fact entertaining people is a big part of their job so I guess the bars facilitate that.

Not sure why they are subsidised. I think historically goods sold from royal palaces weren’t taxed as the tax theoretically goes to the Monarch anyway. Maybe it’s a relic of that as the Palace of Westminster is a royal palace.

Captain Harville, there is very little job security, too. Think of Theresa May's snap election... with six weeks notice, some mps and all their staff faced losing their jobs. I have a lot of contact with my mp and his staff due to a voluntary role I have. Some candidates go part time to campaign, build up debt while campaigning. If they get in they give up their job completely. Then they have to live part of the week in London, and part in their constituency- which is why the expenses claims are so complicated.

If they don’t get in they have debt to recoup from their campaigning. It’s pretty hard for ordinary people to manage this.

No one ever looks up facts do they, they just spout rhetoric they've read on FB.

But the pool we have at the moment is a really privileged pool. We need more MPs from ordinary backgrounds who want to be an MP because they want to help people.

69% of the 2017 MPs went to state schools, with 51% of those at a comprehensive.

Since when did comprehensive schools not get filled with ' ordinary people from ordinary backgrounds?

www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-2017-40232272

They might work strange hours but shouldn’t we expect them to be sober when they do so?

You’re not allowed to be drunk in charge of a cow, but you are allowed to be drunk in charge of the country?

Hypocritical when you consider that other public sector workers aren't allowed to claim for alcohol on expenses or drink during working hours.

Our bosses used to host a Christmas gathering in our big meeting room where they put on a few drinks (no one got pissed, we just all had a glass of wine or couple of small bottles of beer) to say thank you for hard work over the last year but it got banned.

MPs should stick to the same rules as other public sector workers including pay freezes and no free booze from the public purse.

I've got nothing against alcohol - I love drinking myself. I just don't think the people running the country should be drinking at work or during their 'working day' , even if it does finish late. If they want to go for a drink after work, go to a bar, pub etc like most of their constituents would need to.. They work in the heart of the capital city, its not like there wouldn't be anywhere open! I drink but I don't drink at work and I don't have a job anywhere near as important or responsible as working in parliament.

But isn’t the issue that previously shop talk has happened in the pubs so they need somewhere where the public isn’t to chat?

@Splinterz it's coming from these releases I imagine.

www.parliament.uk/business/publications/research/olympic-britain/parliament-and-elections/representatives-of-society/

www.ft.com/content/9285155c-6351-11e3-a87d-00144feabdc0

That's as maybe, Commons bars and restaurants are still a good idea. Politics is talking.

Hmm, I’m not sure about this. I don’t think it’s subsidised is it? More that it’s no profit. Like the Military Messes that all units have (remembers fondly getting rat arsed for €5 when it was 50c a shot and each shot was a
double...)

Wrong if the taxpayer is paying of course.

Apparently they get cheap cigarettes too. Mates husband works as electrician there and apparently he stocks up when he goes. Is there anyone here who can confirm? ("Up the revolution" and all that 😀)

Are they subsidised though, or just non-profit making? When I was growing up, the chepeast place to go for a drink was the rugby club because they weren't interested in making money, judt covering their costs.

Lots of people have alcohol provided by their employer. MPs have to entertain frequently and 60k doesn’t go very far at London bar prices.
They need to be available for voting if so ordered by the Whips
They need to hold conversations without fear of eavesdropping.
They need to feel secure.
Many work hard, do long hours, are not from especially privileged backgrounds. They have no job security, have done much unpaid party work to get there. It’s not for the faint hearted.
Do we really need more ‘ordinary people’ as MPs - I imagine that would give us a house of Farages (who for all his man of the people twaddle went to Dulwich and was a banker).
Armed forces have very heavily subsidised bars and bunfights too.

Also give over with the expenses thing - it's quite right and proper that we cover the expenses of MPs. Getting to London every week and staying over while you're there is expensive. No other employer would expect an employee to travel from Aberdeen to London every week, stay in a hotel or serviced apartment and pay for that themselves out of their salary. What MPs can claim for has been tightened considerably and you can go online and see exactly what each and every one of them is claiming.