Strangers' Bar Price List Shows How Much MPs Pay For A Pint In Parliament

The price list for one of the bars in the Houses of Parliament shows exactly how much MPs, officials and their guests are paying for a pint.

Let’s just say that for Central London, it’s one hell of a bargain.

As the cost-of-living crisis sees everyone else struggling to enjoy even the most basic of luxuries, MPs earning more than £80,000 can get a pint for less than £3.50 in their place of work.

The list shown below is for the Strangers’ Bar, which is probably the best known of the bars and restaurants in Parliament.

As you can see, it's priced pretty competitively for that part of the world.

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At the moment – as you’ve probably noticed – there is a lot of attention being given to a perceived drinking culture within British politics.

Well, with prices like these it’s fairly easy to see why MPs might head on down to one of the many food and drink sales points inside the UK’s seat of government.

To start off, if it’s just a humble pint of lager you fancy, you can pick up a pint of Carlsberg for £3.70, with slight increases for Stella Artois at £4.10 per pint.

A pint of Guinness, which is so often the measure of a good bar, can be bought for the same price, just £4.10.

Let’s just remember that this bar is in the centre of London, shall we?

At any establishment around the corner, you’d be lucky to get something for less than five or six quid.

House of Commons

For those who prefer a beer that is a bit less fizzy, there’s even better news.

A pint of Jorvik Flaxon Blonde Ale or Davenports Golden Ale will only set you back £3.55. At less than £3.60 for a jar, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d gone back in time.

Bottles of wine can be bought for less than £20.00, though prices do go up as far as £23.25

Hell, why not push the boat out and bag yourself a bottle of prosecco for just £24.80 or House of Commons champagne for £38.70?

In recent days, the ruling Conservatives have been forced to defend themselves against more allegations of ‘sleaze’ from opposition benches, with some even suggesting that the parliamentary bars should be closed down altogether.

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However, minister Kwasi Kwarteng said that whilst some of the allegations against MPs are ‘extraordinary and unacceptable’ the bars shouldn’t be closed.

He told Sky News: “No, they shouldn’t all be shut, I don’t think we should have an excessively puritanical, severe regime in that regard.”

A spokesperson for the House of Commons said: “Catering services, including the sale of beverages, at Parliament are not subsidised.

"Our food and drink prices are regularly benchmarked with venues outside Parliament, and the catering service continuously seeks to reduce costs.

"House of Commons bars do not normally run at a loss.

"The contribution in overall profit from the bars helps reduce the cost of catering services.”