Cost of living crisis? This applies not only to the British Lords, who bought almost 90,000 pounds (over 100 thousand euros) of champagne for events in the upper house in London in 2023.
Figures on the crazy spending of the Westminster House of Lords, which is appointed by the Crown and not elected by citizens, have been revealed by the British newspaper. GuardianCiting sources from the Scottish National Party (SNP), which is the first Scottish party to lead a regional government and opposes Rishi Sunak’s government in the London Parliament.
According to the data cited by the newspaper, 88 thousand 987 lira (that is, 102 thousand 635 euros) was spent on 1,589 bottles of champagne consumed at various events in the Chamber and gift shop last year. These are record figures for this period, but the increase compared to 2022 is not that big: two years ago the Lords spent £85,462 on 1,580 bottles.
“A Parliament where unelected Lords drink rivers of wine and collect £342 (€394) a day just to show up is not a Parliament fit to properly represent the people,” said SNP MP Tommy Sheppard, adding that upper house members said: “The cost of living of Her Majesty’s citizens is They were acting “old and uncaring” at a time when it had increased in recent months.
In response, the Speaker of the Lords stated that alcohol sold in the House of Lords and shop “is not paid for by taxpayers”: “Most Champagne sold by the House of Lords is bought by visitors in the gift shop and consumed outside Parliament by members of the public or at events and banquets in the House of Lords.” “It is sold to the hosting organization or individuals.”
In the bicameral British Parliament, the House of Commons consists of 650 MPs elected by citizens and a variable number of Lords (currently 785), most of whom are appointed by the Crown. While actual legislative power lies in the hands of the lower house, the upper house has mainly symbolic functions.
Source: Today IT
Karen Clayton is a seasoned journalist and author at The Nation Update, with a focus on world news and current events. She has a background in international relations, which gives her a deep understanding of the political, economic and social factors that shape the global landscape. She writes about a wide range of topics, including conflicts, political upheavals, and economic trends, as well as humanitarian crisis and human rights issues.
