Closing Parliament’s bars won’t help improve standards – MPS

Shutting Parliament’s bars is not necessary to improve standards among MPS, a Cabinet minister has suggested.

Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey was challenged over whether such a move is needed in response to recent scandals. There are several bars within the Houses of Parliament, including the Woolsack and Strangers’ Bar.

Ms Coffey told Sky: “In terms of Parliament’s bars, we have a particular sort of working hours and a lot of these situations you’re referring to I don’t think happened in the bars.”

She added: “We’ve already reduced the number of drinking and eating outlets in Parliament.”

Shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said he does not believe the parliamentary bars are the issue.

The Labour MP said on

Sky: “I don’t think Parliament has the kind of modern workplace culture that it should have, I think there’s further to go.

“But I would just say, if you look at these particular incidents, actually few of them are in Parliament itself, so for me it comes down to something bigger than the hospitality arrangements.

“It’s about power, it’s about accountability, it’s about the standards that are set by the leader of each political party, and I cannot see Boris Johnson as being the kind of person to somehow improve the culture of the Conservative Party.”

Pressed on whether there is a need to shut Parliament’s bars, Mr Reynolds said there is “only one major bar for Members of Parliament, there’s one for staff as well”, before adding: “I don’t think that is the issue.

“You could shut every bar in Westminster but if you’ve got a Conservative Party that does not take these issues seriously, that gives people a get-out-ofjail-free card.”

Mr Reynolds was interrupted and told a drinking culture is effectively encouraged due to the bars, with the Labour MP replying: “I wouldn’t say it’s encouraged; most people are doing an incredibly professional job.”

I can’t see Johnson being the person to improve the culture of Conservatives