British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesperson expressed concern on Thursday after police confirmed they were investigating claims that a drink had been spiked in one of the UK Parliament’s bars.
London’s Metropolitan Police force said it was probing reports that a female parliamentary researcher had her drink tampered with inside Parliament on January 7, the day after MPs returned from their Christmas break.
“These are incredibly concerning reports,” Starmer’s official spokesman told reporters.
“Women have a right to feel safe everywhere. Everyone on the parliamentary estate should feel safe in their workplace,” he added.
The case was first reported by Politico, which said the alleged incident took place in Strangers’ Bar, one of several bars and restaurants at the Westminster site in central London. The bar is used by MPs, their guests, parliamentary staff, and political journalists.
A spokesperson for the Met said, “The investigation is ongoing, and the victim is being supported by officers.”
“There have been no arrests at this stage,” the spokesperson added.
Debate has long raged about excessive drinking in Parliament, with MPs sometimes leaving the bar to vote in the chamber during late sittings.
In November, it was reported that a group of Labour MPs proposed recommendations to curb the sale of alcohol to make Parliament a healthier workplace.
The same month, Starmer announced that spiking would become a new standalone criminal offence in the UK.
