Green Party MP, Hannah Spencer, divided Britain with comments she made to Politics JOE that MPs and journalists are getting drunk in the House of Commons.
Spencer’s intervention split the country into two camps:
- The MPs and journalists who angrily argued it’s fine for them to be drunk at work — that it’s good, even
- The 76% of the British public who think it’s anything but good
With Green MP Hannah Spencer criticising fellow MPs for drinking alcohol ahead of evening votes in Parliament, the British public likewise disapprove – 76% brand this unacceptable, including 52% “completely unacceptable”
Link in replies pic.twitter.com/Dd09whJnzB
— YouGov (@YouGov) April 27, 2026
Spencer’s remarks on MPs puts the public at odds
Perhaps the most amazing thing about the above is that there’s broad consensus across voters for different parties.
On most issues, this is not the case, demonstrating just how out of touch many politicians are.
The overwhelming majority of people say it is unacceptable for MPs to drink on evenings where later on they will have votes in Parliament. pic.twitter.com/mKvIEdIvgx
— cez (@cezthesocialist) April 27, 2026
This week the Canary reported that MPs from Labour, Reform and Conservatives had all come forward to defend their right to get smashed at work. More have jumped on the bandwagon since then, including Scottish Labour MP, Chris Murray.
a hundred grand a year and you can’t work out the difference between drinking on the job and having a pint after work. absolutely stealing a living from the taxpayer https://t.co/KPjCQecCQT
— enter shakira𓅮 (@BARFJAMiN) April 27, 2026
Labour MP, Sam Rushworth, meanwhile, called Spencer a liar.
This would be much more damning if your colleagues hadn’t spent the last 48 hours defending their right to drink on the job. https://t.co/Q8pFslElDy
— Samantha
(@arcuaria) April 27, 2026
There’s a problem with Rushworth’s argument — namely that we’ve all read many accounts of MPs being pissed at work. It goes beyond booze too.
Almost every single toilet in parliament tested positive for cocaine residue. No wonder all the MPs are furiously quote tweeting this. By the end of this year they’ll be on £110,000 per year.
It’s one big party and you’re not invited. https://t.co/yb0LJZcURk pic.twitter.com/T5vMZ0KfOx
— Ashok Kumar |
Commentator Owen Jones said the following about the phenomenon of MPs lining up to attach themselves to this unpopular issue:
Genuinely astonished at MPs and commentators angrily piling on Hannah Spencer for criticising MPs’ drinking during votes.
Compelling evidence that the rise of the Green Party has sent them completely insane!
Many others have highlighted how ridiculous the arguments against Spencer have been. The X user, Very Brexit Problems, wrote:
Hannah Spencer getting shit for highlighting how many MPs stink of beer is mental.
Pilots can’t drink before a flight. Train drivers can’t drink before a shift. Surgeons can’t drink before they operate. Soldiers can’t drink before they’re handed a rifle. Bus drivers, paramedics, police on duty, HGV drivers, none of them can turn up to work smelling of booze without losing their job.
MPs vote on laws affecting 67 million people. Apparently some people are totally cool with them doing that wankered.
On the topic of journalists defending their right to get pissed with the politicians they’re supposed to be holding to account, many argued they’re being “performative”.
The UK’s political culture relies on performative and aggressive stupidity to make sure nothing actually ever changes for the better. https://t.co/qlF7ePXWyX
— Marl Karx (@BareLeft) April 27, 2026
Zoe Gardner, meanwhile, pointed out that we don’t have to go back too far to find an example of MPs mysteriously voting wrong.
This was in February
https://t.co/Y3wlbzTI8m pic.twitter.com/VnlCbT0NHu
— Zoe Gardner (@ZoeJardiniere) April 28, 2026
Backlash to the backlash
Since the initial backlash to Spencer, some right-wing commentators have actually realised this is a losing issue. Among them is Sophie Corcoran.
You don’t have to be left wing to think MPs shouldn’t be drinking on the job.
Most workers can’t do that.
Their job is important and they should take it seriously.
We should hold them to higher standards than others – not lower.
Public service is about sacrifice – and that…— Sophie Corcoran (@sophielouisecc) April 27, 2026
Green Party leader, Zack Polanski, meanwhile, has benefitted from being on the right side of this issue from the start.
Yeah man he is just really really good at this https://t.co/D62A1FeESs
— c.s lewisham by day j edgar boozer by night (@theskyeatnight) April 27, 2026
As the Green Party rises in the polls, the other parties have gone on the attack. The problem is many of the Greens’ ideas are very popular, which is why MPs keep finding themselves clumsily lining up against public opinion.
To be absolutely fair to them, however, these drunk MPs may not have their best thinking heads on.
Featured image via X/ Cez
By Willem Moore
From Canary via This RSS Feed.
It’s fine if they want to get drunk at work, but I should be able to have that privilege as well.