Aug 4, 2026 · 17 min · 9 segments
A new report by the Institute of Alcohol Studies published this weekend has revealed the worrying extent to which parliament’s many on-site bars and frequent booze-soaked events fuels a culture in…
Tom NicholasHost
Do British MPs have a collective drinking problem? A new report by the Institute of Alcohol Studies published this weekend has revealed the worrying extent to which Parliament's many on-site bars and frequent booze-soaked events fuels a culture in which MPs and support staff are spending excessive amounts of time wasted.
A cheeky lunchtime pint is, for most working-age Brits, a relic of a bygone age.
If you popped out for a meal deal and came back with a can of Strongbow Dark Fruit, you'd very quickly find yourself facing a disciplinary meeting of some variety.
For our elected leaders, however, opportunities to get on the bevs are everywhere.
One respondent to the Institute for Alcohol Studies report, who is an MP, recounted a story of another Member of Parliament having so much to drink that they had to go to hospital to have their stomach pumped, after which they returned to Westminster the next day almost like nothing had happened.
So what does it say about the culture among parliamentarians that the people who hold the highest offices in the land are frequently seeking a few cold ones before voting on laws which affect us all? Is this a wonderful parliamentary tradition which shouldn't be touched, or does an increasingly outdated drinking culture in Parliament risk further alienating people from politics at a time when trust in government has never been lower? My name's Tom Nicholas.
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Do British MPs have a collective drinking problem? A new report by the Institute of Alcohol Studies published this weekend has revealed the worrying extent to which Parliament's many on-site bars and frequent booze-soaked events fuels a culture in which MPs and support staff are spending excessive amounts of time wasted.
A cheeky lunchtime pint is, for most working-age Brits, a relic of a bygone age.
If you popped out for a meal deal and came back with a can of Strongbow Dark Fruit, you'd very quickly find yourself facing a disciplinary meeting of some variety.
For our elected leaders, however, opportunities to get on the bevs are everywhere.
One respondent to the Institute for Alcohol Studies report, who is an MP, recounted a story of another Member of Parliament having so much to drink that they had to go to hospital to have their stomach pumped, after which they returned to Westminster the next day almost like nothing had happened.
So what does it say about the culture among parliamentarians that the people who hold the highest offices in the land are frequently seeking a few cold ones before voting on laws which affect us all? Is this a wonderful parliamentary tradition which shouldn't be touched, or does an increasingly outdated drinking culture in Parliament risk further alienating people from politics at a time when trust in government has never been lower? My name's Tom Nicholas.