NEWLY elected Denton MP Hannah Spencer called for alcohol to be banned for MPs in Westminster during her first exchange at Prime Minister’s Questions.
The Green Party MP, who won February’s Denton and Gorton by-election, challenged Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over MPs drinking cheaper alcohol before votes in Parliament.
Opening her question on Wednesday (May 20), she told the House of Commons: “In Gorton and Denton, we have to pay full price for a pint. But here, for some reason, it’s cheaper.
“Some MPs drink before voting, and that really shocked me when I came to Parliament, because it is our workplace.”
Her comments prompted loud reactions from MPs across the chamber before she continued: “Does the Prime Minister agree with his own MPs who’ve defended their right to drink cheap alcohol at work, or does he agree with me that MPs shouldn’t be drinking on the job?
“Given that we vote on huge things like the climate crisis, disabled people’s rights, housing, child poverty?”
Sir Keir began his response by welcoming the MP to the chamber, before arguing most people were more concerned about wider national issues.
He replied: “Look, there are going to be different views on whether people should be able to enjoy a drink here or not.
“But I think we can agree that the majority of people in this country want an economy that works for them, public services that are there when they need them, and every child going as far as their talent or ability will take them.”
The Prime Minister then used the exchange to criticise Green Party leader Zack Polanski over an ongoing council tax controversy.
He continued: “The only way to deliver that is through a Labour government, as we are doing. And I know the Greens think that their leader walks on water – it turns out that he lives on water and does not pay his council tax!”
Mr Polanski recently admitted he failed to pay the correct council tax while living on a houseboat in east London.
A spokesperson for the Green Party has previously said: “He has immediately taken steps to pay any council tax he may be found to owe. Zack apologises sincerely for the unintentional mistake. For security reasons, we do not comment publicly on Zack’s address.
“There have recently been two serious incidents which have been reported to the police and are under investigation.”
Hannah Spencer won the Denton and Gorton constituency by-election by more than 4,000 votes ahead of nearest challenger Reform UK.
The 35-year-old became the Green Party’s first MP in the North of England following the downfall of former Labour MP Andrew Gwynne, whose involvement in the controversial ‘Trigger Me Timbers’ WhatsApp group led to the by-election being called.
Prime Minister’s Questions, commonly known as PMQs, is a constitutional convention held every Wednesday at midday during the parliamentary year where the Prime Minister answers questions from MPs.