Authorities in Westminster are shutting down the bar in the House of Commons until further notice following an allegation that a woman’s drink was spiked.
Strangers, a popular riverside bar for MPs and parliamentary workers, will shut from Monday for a safety and security review ordered by Lindsay Hoyle, the speaker of the House of Commons.
“The safety of everyone on the estate remains a key priority,” said a spokesman for the House of Commons. No date has been given for its reopening, and Commons authorities have indicated that a decision will be taken only after the review has been completed.
The move follows an incident on Tuesday, January 7th, when a woman working in parliament as a researcher alleged that her drink was tampered with while she was in the bar. She is said to have noticed the alleged spiking of her drink at the time, and reported it to bar staff and parliamentary security officers. Police are now investigating the incident.
“The investigation is ongoing and the victim is being supported by officers. There have been no arrests at this stage,” London Metropolitan Police said earlier this week, when the alleged spiking incident was first reported by Politico.
A spokesman for 10 Downing Street had earlier described the alleged spiking incident as “incredibly concerning ... everyone on the parliamentary estate should feel safe in their workplace”.
The incident is the latest in a series of controversies in recent years relating to the drink-fuelled culture of Westminster’s political scene, which had prompted calls from some politicians and trade unions for a clampdown.
The FDA, a trade union representing some civil servants, had described the alleged spiking as “deeply concerning” and urged Commons authorities to take action. Prospect, another trade union, said it was “a very concerning alleged incident, especially given the long history of allegations about behaviour in parliament”.
In recent years there have been numerous complaints in Westminster of alleged drink-fuelled harassment of women and men, including allegations against several MPs. Last year, former Tory MP Aaron Bell was censured after he was accused of inappropriately touching a woman in Strangers. In 2023 Labour MP Neil Coyle was suspended for drunkenly uttering a racial slur to a British-Chinese journalist in the bar.
The bar is located just off the terrace of the House of Parliament and is usually thronged on Thursday nights, before most MPs head back to their constituencies for the weekend.
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