A message has been posted on Parliament’s internal network:
“On 16 January the House leadership published a statement relating to a serious allegation of spiking in Strangers’ Bar, which the Metropolitan Police are now investigating.
Mr Speaker, in consultation with the Clerk of the House and the Director of Parliamentary Security, has now taken a decision to close Strangers’ Bar from Monday 20 January while security and safety arrangements are reviewed.
The safety of everyone on the estate is a key priority of both Houses. We always encourage colleagues to trust their instincts and report anything suspicious or that does not feel right.”
There was a Parliamentary security presence inside and outside of Strangers Bar, which leads onto the terrace, last night after an incident of spiking was reported this week. Staffers, hacks, and MPs will have to hydrate elsewhere for the time being…
Lord Khan in the Telegraph: “I hope, and I say this in a non-pompous way, that the public service I do will bring rewards in this world and the hereafter,” he says. “I’m hoping the work I do is earning me Brownie points.”