The Strangers Bar in Parliament will be closed next week while security arrangements are reviewed following the spike incident.
A House of Commons spokesperson said the bar, located in Parliament House and frequented by MPs on weekday nights, will be closed starting Monday.
“The safety of everyone on site remains a key priority for both chambers,” the spokesperson said.
The Metropolitan Police Department is investigating after a parliamentary investigator reported that her drink was spiked. The woman reportedly alerted bar staff and Capitol security that her drink had been tampered with. politikofirst reported this story.
The incident is said to have happened around 6:30 p.m. on January 7, the first week after Congress returned from recess.
The debate about selling alcohol on Capitol Hill is likely to reignite. The Modernization Commission, set up by the Labor government and made up of MPs from all major parties, is considering proposals to improve standards and labor practices in parliament.
In a submission to the committee last year, a group of Labor MPs called for restrictions on the sale of alcohol. The commission has received hundreds of recommendations across a wide range of areas for reform and plans to publish its evidence in full this month.
Parliament's official complaints authority, the Independent Complaints Regime, said Westminster's drinking culture was a “frequent factor” contributing to inappropriate behavior.
In its 2023 annual report, ICGS said a frequent theme of its investigations was Parliament's numerous bars, where drinking “has led to intimidating behavior such as shouting and swearing”.
Strangers' is the most visible of the bars in Congress and the one most frequently visited by members of Congress. Another bar, called Woolsack, was previously known as the Sports and Social Club, but was frequented by parliamentary staff and was infamous for a series of brawls and misconduct scandals, leading to the rebranding. I was disappointed. The House of Lords cafeteria also has a bar and several dining rooms that serve alcohol.
The government has vowed to crack down on spiking, including making it a specific crime and training staff and police to spot it as part of wider efforts to tackle violence against women and girls.
Spiking refers to putting alcohol or drugs into someone's drink, usually without their knowledge or permission. It also includes injecting drinks or drugs into someone or adding them to food, e-cigarettes, or cigarettes.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the incident as “an alarming and serious crime that has the potential to cause long-term harm to the victims”.
Ministers announced before Christmas that around 10,000 bar staff in England and Wales would be trained to spot and stop spikes.
The FDA union, which represents public servants and public sector professionals, said earlier this week that the alleged spike incident at Strangers was “deeply concerning” and urged Congressional authorities to “assess the risks and make decisions like this… “We urge them to take immediate action to prevent this from happening again.”
Mike Clancy, general secretary of trade union Prospect, said: “This is a deeply worrying and alleged incident, particularly given the long history of allegations surrounding parliamentary conduct.”
“We are seeking further information about this incident and will continue to work to ensure parliamentary staff feel safe at work.”
