MPs reject Parliament 'drinking culture' claim

Two MPs have denied a claim that there is a culture of excessive drinking in the House of Commons.

New Green Party MP Hannah Spencer, who won the Gorton and Denton by-election in February, said some politicians even drink alcohol between voting on key issues.

However, speaking to the BBC's Politics North West programme, Labour MP for Oldham WestJim McMahon said he had never seen anything amounting to "drunkenness".

Cheadle MP Tom Morrison said the claim "tarred all MPs with the same brush" and it was not an issue among members in general.

They were reacting after Spencer told the Politics Joe podcast earlier this week: "Everyone is going in to vote and some people have been drinking inbetween.

"There is a room where I go past and I double-back and looked in because people are just sat having a drink.

"But again that is a job.

"I can't imagine if a cleaner did that or someone working in a bank. Like, had a few drinks and went back to work, smelling of alcohol.

"That wouldn't happen."

McMahon continued: "My experience over 10 years is that it has changed a lot.

"The childcare nursery in Parliament used to be a bar.

"I don't experience drunkenness in the way that is being being described."

He added: "As a member of Parliament, when you do get constituents come for a visit, especially when they are trekking down from Oldham, I do think it is quite nice for your MP to take you for a drink on the terrace."

Morrison, Liberal Democrat MP for Cheadle, said: "I don't drink. I haven't drank for four years.

"This is a topic close to my heart as my dad died of alcoholism when I was relatively young.

"I don't recognise the culture that Hannah is talking about."

Cheshire East Council's Conservative leader Stewart Gardiner, who worked in Parliament for 12 years, also told the programme: "I didn't ever see Parliamentarians in a state of inebriation.

"But I would see young staffers."

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