What Are Our MPs Drinking In The House Of Commons

At the time of writing the house ’rose’ this week and will return on 1^st September. The ‘house’ I am referring to is of course the ‘House of Commons’, where our elected MPs go about their daily work on our behalf.

As one might expect, at some point in the day, they do need to seek little refreshment, of either the liquid or more nourishing kind. I took advantage of a recent Freedom of Information request to have a look at what’s on offer. Their own website is not kept up to date so some of the information may be a little out of date, but as with all behemoths I suspect the wheels of power turn slowly so much will still be current.

Those entitled to use the on-site catering facilities (there are others off-site) are the 13,000 pass-holders, which includes Members of both Houses, their staff, House staff, civil servants, contractors’ staff, members of the Press Gallery etc., as well as members of the public and non-pass-holding visitors to Parliament. They have access to 4 table service restaurants, 3 self-service options, and 4 bars/lounges.

Food and drink menus are on a six weekly rotation and change on a daily basis. I’ve never been much of a person for either self-service or buffets myself, much preferring to be waited on hand and foot. So with this in mind, I have confined my observations to the Member’s Dining Room, the Strangers’ Dining Room and the Churchill Grill Room (although the actual menu says ‘Dining Room’).

It is well recorded that in return for all of their tireless toil MPs get to enjoy the benefits of subsidised dining and imbibing. Given the central London location, £17.35 for a fillet steak does seem like a bargain, and I wouldn’t have minded the seared sea bass on chive potato pancakes with roast shallot pureé and tomato dressing. This costs a mere £4.15, if eating in the Members’ Dining Room, but the same dish, I see is £6.90 if eaten in the Strangers’ Dining Room. Perks indeed. There are of course strict rules about who can eat where, and when.

What is interesting though is that from the three restaurant menus I was able to obtain they all offer the same ‘Wine Recommendations’, and at the same prices; so the moral must surely be ‘eat the same food and pay more, drink the same wine and pay the same’. Could this be a deliberate ploy to make our MPs drink more, no matter where they choose to eat?

The two recommendations on offer were:-

Pinot Grigio Boira Organic, Veneto, Italy 12%, 2011, £17 a bottle (£4.70 for 175ml.)

Côte du Rhône, Domaine de l‘Armandine, France, 13.5%, 2009, £15.50 (£3.90 for 175ml.)

They do at least offer the wines in 125ml. sizes, my preferred measure, which is now very difficult to obtain in pubs and restaurants although they are legally required to offer it.

The main wine list, which is fairly lengthy but not extensive, seems to be largely well chosen, with quite a number labelled under the House of Commons brand name, which  makes it difficult to find out who the producer is, but they do provide useful raffle prizes for MPs doing the rounds of village fêtes and fund raisers. 

Aside from the branded wines the champagne on offer is Lenoble Rosé Vintage Brut 2005, at £40.85, which given that it retails for £34.20 is a real bargain. However, I would have hoped that in the Churchill Grill Room at least they would offer Pol Roger, known to be the British Bulldog’s favourite marque.

It may be of interest to readers to note that since the coalition was formed the House of Commons has bought in more than 25,000 bottles of champagne, totalling £275,221. In 2010 champagne purchases totalled 4,691 bottles, rising by 72% to 8,082 in 2013. Clearly they like a drop of the good stuff, as an ardent champagne lover myself it would be hypocritical of me to make adverse comment.

Finally, also on offer is Mâcon-Lugny « Les Genièvres », an excellent Burgundy, from one of the top vineyards in the Mâconnais region. Made from 100% Chardonnay, it is described as opulent, rich, with a flowery bouquet and lovely honey, apple and nutty flavours on the palate, Tony Blair apparently celebrated his election victory with a glass. Available for us mere mortals to buy at Tanners, the 2012 will set you back just £12.70.

What Were The Athletes Drinking At The Commonwealth Games?

I confess to not being a sports fan; at all. However, for those that are, this summer seems to have been quite exceptional in terms of the breadth sporting of activities available for viewers, if not for participants. So far we have had the World Cup, Wimbledon, the Tour de France, the Grand Prix, and now bringing up the rear, The Commonwealth Games, due to start in Glasgow later this month.

Being a wine writer and tutor, I am always interested in the connection between alcohol and the context in which people from all walks of life choose to imbibe, or not, so it seemed natural to delve into just what was being served north of the border.

As one might expect, for Glasgow 2014, the organisers have been keen to promote Scottish products. There are a number of 'official' drink sponsors, including the famous Irn-Bru, Strathmore Scottish spring water, and of course whisky, where Famous Grouse have managed to secure a deal, alongside Heineken, the official beer and cider provider.

For spectators, at the top end there are hospitality packages on offer for up to £575 a time to attend the opening ceremony. Despite several calls to the company organising the events, it was really disappointing not to be able to find out what drinks were going to be on offer. Their reluctance to respond does make we wonder what they might be trying to hide. If my own experience of similar events recently is anything to go by, it does not bode well for lovers of decent quality wine.  

In considering the performance of some of the top athletes tipped to win in their chosen events, I have been aiming to discover more about their drinking habits.

Expectations are high for all athletes, and it is heartening to see that Glaswegian swimmer Michael Jamieson, admits to not drinking at all when he's training, along with fellow competitor Hannah Miley; however, this is not quite the case for all competitors.

Sprinter Usain Bolt needs little introduction, especially since Richard Branson has harnessed his distinctive style to advertise Virgin products. Criticised by fans for being caught guzzling beer, it seems that Usain’s favourite tipple is in fact a drop of the good stuff, Guinness. Given that not so long ago maternity hospitals used to give new mums stout to drink on the wards, perhaps there is something in that. It certainly seems that everything Usain touches does indeed turn to gold, as his endorsement of energy drink Gatorade has seen sales go through the roof in his home country of Jamaica. Brownlee brothers (Alistair and Jonathan), both English triathletes, also drink Gatorade, maintaining that it contains calcium for your bones, protein for your muscles and electrolytes to aid recovery. 

Mo Farah runs for England, but was born in Sudan, where as an Islamic country, alcohol is officially banned. However, the cloudy, locally brewed beer, ‘merissa’, made from millet, could be on offer, although as it is made from untreated water, and to avoid the inevitable stomach upset, a better bet might be the potent 'aragi', a pure spirit distilled from dates. Not wanting to suffer the mother of all hangovers, or break the law, a delicious alternative to the ubiquitous tea might be 'karkadeh' tea, red in colour, and made from Hibiscus flowers.

Swimmer Chad Le Clos, from South Africa, celebrated his 21^st birthday at Czar nightclub in Durban, with Red Bull drinks on arrival (yuk!) followed by sparkling wine from The House of J C le Roux, produced near Stellenbosch, in the wine-growing region of the Cape.  Described as having all the fresh, crisp, character of sauvignon blanc, combined with the sweetness of the Muscadel, and low in alcohol, at just £10.99, it's unlikely to break the bank.

English boxer Nicola Adam admits to chilling out with her friends and downing the odd vodka and lemonade, so she might consider hooking up with Mark Cavendish, the Manx cyclist, who extols the benefits of vodka and soda, saying 'I only drink alcohol for five weeks a year, in my off-season. When I drink, I go for a vodka and soda, the purest drink you can get. It doesn’t give you a headache or heavy legs the next day.'

 
Tom Daley, England's diving hope, appears not to be your typical young man. In one interview he declared that he thinks alcohol is 'disgusting', and that the only time he had tried alcohol was on his 16th birthday, when his mum gave him a sip of champagne. He maintains that when he goes to parties he just drinks Coke or orange juice. His comments echo the views of others I speak to, and as all champagnes are not equal, I would argue that his dislike of champagne may well stem from the particular brand he was offered, rather than a blanket distaste for it.

In summing up my admittedly rather cursory, but time consuming, investigations it would seem that in almost cases sports stars at the top of their game largely abstain from alcohol consumption of any kind, and this combined with dedication, discipline, and self-belief is the combination that breeds winners. Something that perhaps the England football team could learn a valuable lesson from? 

The Glorious Twelth - Wines to Make Your Mouth Water

I’ve always been game for a bit of game, and aficionados of this wonderful wild source of protein will be aware, that although we are still basking in the summer sun (at the time of writing at least), August heralds the arrival of what is known as ‘The Glorious Twelfth’, the date stipulated in the 1831 Game Act for the start of the annual British game shooting season.

Grouse shooting has long been thought of as a pursuit enjoyed by the money’d classes (costing several thousand pounds per day for each ‘gun’ to participate), and there is always the mad rush to see which top restaurant will bag the honour of getting this heather loving, moorland bird first to the table for those discerning diners with a bob or two to spare in their back pocket. Red grouse has very little fat, so it provides a healthy option. With the added bonus of being bred on the moors, it is free of the wretched chemicals pumped into much of the other meat we consume, but eating it can be an expensive past-time; you need a bird per person, which will set you back around £35 a go in restaurants.

However, the good news for the rest of us is that the ‘better’ supermarkets have seen the light and have at last acknowledged the desire amongst us, with limited budgets, to indulge in a little luxury from time to time, for something in the region of £10 each. This of course leaves more money to spend on the wine!

When it comes to matching wine with grouse it very much depends on how old the bird is, how it is cooked and served. When choosing the perfect wine match and, excuse the pun here, to avoid grouse-ing about it, keep in mind the traditional accompaniments – game chips, bread sauce, and redcurrant jelly.

The short season runs through until mid December, by which time the birds will be that much older and with a stronger, gamey, flavour to the meat. These older birds will prove to be a better match for more full-bodied, complex wines. Most modern chefs have the tendency to cook grouse rare, unless it is well hung, which to my mind it should not be, as then it can then become much more gamey, losing some of its delicate flavour. The preferred method of cooking is to simply roast it.

Personally, and being rather a traditionalist, I am inclined to be just that little bit boring, and stick with France in making my selections for the perfect match.

If your budget doesn’t run to a decent red Burgundy, and providing good value for money, I’m a particular fan of northern Rhone wines. The main thing is to go light on the tannins to avoid overwhelming the subtle earthy flavour of the meat, and it’s best to steer clear of white wines.  

 

Philippe Jaboulet, Domaine Collange, Crozes-Hermitage, Northern Rhone, 2009, Syrah, 13%. £14

Chateau bottled, it is unoaked, elegant and soft, with hints of blackberry, plums, crushed black pepper.

 

Cave Saint-Desirat cooperative, Saint-Joseph, Northern Rhone, 2010, Syrah,13% £15.

Estate bottled, look for white pepper, spice and liquorice, subtle oak and soft tannins.

 

Chavy-Chouet, La Taupe, Bourgogne Rouge, old vines, Cote D’Or, Burgundy, 2011, Pinot Noir, 12.5%. £15

Single vineyard estate, with silky tannins, giving off wild-cherry and spice with violets.

 

Choosing Your Airline By The Quality Of Their Wine Lists

Most of us will have already made our holiday plans, but some of us may still be thinking of flying off to distant shores for a bit of sun, relaxation or a cultural fix, before getting our noses back to the grindstone.

Budget airlines have taken a knock recently, with passengers fed up with being treated with contempt in exchange for a no frills price. As much as we might want dirt cheap fares, we do still want to feel special, so many airlines are starting to look at how they can add value and comfort.

My experience of first class travel has, sadly, been rather limited, but were I able to do so I’d certainly take into account, especially for long haul flights, the standard of food and wine on offer.

The likes of Joan Collins will of course find whatever their little hearts’ desire is provided on tap; for the rest of us an insider’s look at what’s on offer is worth considering.

Whilst safety and comfort are high on our list of priorities, airlines are bending over backwards to up their game by enlisting highly paid Masters of Wine to make the selections that will keep passengers content.

In an effort to select the top wines for SAA, South African wine producers submitted a record entry of 1017 wines for selection, where independent judges spent three days blind tasting.

Many airlines are, rather sensibly, choosing to promote lesser know wines from their own countries but be aware that buyers may have snaffled up a job lot of something less than classy.

Wine drunk at altitude tastes different, due to the dryness of the air and also engine vibration. It is not the wine that changes, more the way you perceive it, tasting less of the fruit, and more of the acidity and tannins. Some of the finest wines just don’t perform at their best at altitude, which is why you tend to find more of the softer, fruity new world wines offered.

Airline wine lists vary wildly but what is consistent is that both Champagne and Port will be offered, particularly for long haul flights. Airlines also tend to offer more reds than white, partly explained by the fact that there tends to be more businessmen than women in first class.

Up for criticism is Air Canada’s business class list. Although the champagne on offer, Drappier, is commendable, other choices lean towards the cheap and cheerful and no vintages are shown, which is unacceptable.

Likewise, BA’s business list is surprisingly short and rather pedestrian. At least first class passengers are offered the glamorous Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle Champagne, and a Grand Cru Chablis, although overall they are missing a trick by suggesting two Aussie wines as the only non-European alternatives.

Cathay Pacific is highly rated, both as an airline, and also for their well-balanced wine list with well-established names like Krug Grand Cuvée . NZ’s Central Otago also gets a showing, hardly surprising after William and Kate’s visit to the region on their trip down under. Cathay also pride themselves on their first class Bordeaux.

Emirates offer some lovely wines, but for bubbly lovers in business class the mediocre Moët & Chandon Brut Impérial is disappointing, as is the cheap and cheerful Barossa Valley Shiraz. If you must stick to Moët, at least in first class they have their prestige label, Dom Pérignon, on tap, and more interestingly the rare dry white Bordeaux, Y d'Yquem.

South American airline LAN, in addition the obligatory French champagne, have wines from Chile, Argentina and Portugal, including a white torrentes and a red carménère, and a Croft Late Bottled Vintage Port to ensure an eclectic approach.

Qantas, disappointingly, offers only one champagne, three whites and three reds in first, and only two in business, but they do select from a revolving choice of 45 whites and 65 reds, and quality is assured by top cuvées such as Pol Roger's Sir Winston Churchill and Gosset, one of my personal favourites.

Singapore Airlines greets passengers with Bollinger in business, the more predictable Dom Pérignon in first, along with renowned Cloudy Bay sauvignon blanc.

Virgin’s list tends to focus on small producers, including some interesting biodynamic gems, and in business class passengers can kick off with reliable Lanson champagne.

Despite evidence of the attention that United Airlines pays to its wine selection on domestic flights, most airlines sadly continue to serve the sort of generic, bland wines found in chain pubs, so my advice for short domestic flights would be to avoid what’s on offer.

Preferably stick to travelling first class round the world; a thirsty person could save a considerable amount of money on their alcohol consumption during an 18 hour flight.

 

Boris as MP or PM - Has He Got What It Takes?

As a lifelong Conservative, I have always had a soft spot for Boris, until now. It pains me to say this but after viewing his performance, because that is precisely what it was, during his speech on Europe and Business this week, I was left distinctly unimpressed. Were I given the opportunity, now that he has at last shown his political hand in the run up to next year’s election, based on this effort I’d be hard pushed to vote him in to represent me. The content of what he had to say was without focus, and whilst he often spoke with a misplaced sense of humour, he lacked the necessary passion and gravitas. He certainly did not command my attention, except with what appeared to be the carefully timed ruffling of the blond mop, which only served to make him appear like a coy young girl nervous about the outcome of a first date.  I was left feeling that he needed to get himself a new speech writer.  Forgive me for being cynical, but I wonder if the fact that the speech was given at the London headquarters of Bloomberg had anything to do with the lack of our current government’s criticism of Israel’s continued bombardment of Gaza?

The Digital Divide of the Internet Age

There has been much interest in the rollout of superfast broadband across the county. This is being undertaken as a joint venture between Somerset and Devon as part of ‘Connecting Devon & Somerset’ (CDS). Aided by government funding, the remaining cost is being largely funded locally with the establishment of partner organisations.

Despite the frustrations of those not yet connected, we have every reason to be proud of the fact that this is the most ambitious project in Europe. There is no doubt about the benefits of being connected, but I believe this also comes at a cost; that we are in danger of creating a two-tier society.

I am led to believe that one of the first questions asked by businesses thinking of relocating to the area, or those considering a residential move, concerns broadband access. It certainly seems to have an impact on the value of a property.

In my county councillor role I often receive enquiries from local residents, many of whom run businesses from home, who are concerned about the effect that this can have on their ability to meet expectations that are taken for granted elsewhere in the country.

My own concerns are of a more personal nature. Living in Combe St Nicholas, it is not unusual for me to be unable to access the internet at all, which is at the very least irritating. Although I like to think I am fairly competent, I have always been technologically resistant. As we have become used to the expectation of being contactable 24/7, I find I resent the increasing demands that this method of communication imposes upon me, often to the exclusion of all else.

Latest ONS statistics reveal some interesting facts. In the UK by 2013, 21 million households (83%) had internet access, with 36 million adults (73%) accessing it daily. This is almost double what it was in 2006. Many of us are now using the internet to purchase goods or services and I worry about the impact of this upon our local shops; many businesses find it more cost effective to go down the online route. Our high streets are already revealing a shift away from the traditional businesses upon which our communities were built.

I was prompted to mention this by an alert from the Rural Vulnerability Service. The headline news, provided by Centre for Economics and Business Research study, was ‘Households without internet access pay an average of £440 more a year for goods and services’.

This in effect means that 17% of households (5.4 million) are being adversely affected by this drive towards Internet use. The majority of these people are also among the poorest 10%.

The campaign, which I support, is calling on service providers to give customers the choice of receiving bills and statements on paper, without extra charge.

I acknowledge that we must embrace change if we are not to be left behind, but what price for progress where we have created a digital divide.

Peers Turn in Show of Self Interest for Legally Assisted Dying Debate

THE fact that more than 130 peers had registered their intention to participate in the debate over Lord Falconer’s bill on legally assisted dying made headline news.

This may at first seem impressive, but given the average age of those elevated to the House of Lords this is hardly surprising – they will have a vested interest I would have thought.

This is a complex and sensitive topic, and after a lengthy debate, the bill passed its second reading recently and will now be examined before passing to committee stage.

However, the Prime Minister David Cameron has said he is not convinced by the arguments for legalising assisted dying.

Without Government backing, it is unlikely to be debated in the Commons, so will not become law.

Many maintain that this bill would mean “less suffering, not more deaths”.

Hardly a week goes by without someone who feels that they have no quality of life challenging current legislation in an attempt to exert some choice over the time and method of their own death.

It seems extraordinary that on a daily basis we all make choices, some legal, some not, over how we wish to live, yet the most important choice of all is denied us.

Dying is an emotive issue, whether or not we are reaching the end of our own lives, or witnessing the painful demise of a loved one.

There is of course the argument that changes to legislation would facilitate a breeding ground for the vultures ready to swoop in on the rich pickings of the recently departed.

Much of the debate centred on the safeguards that must be in place to protect the vulnerable from abuse, and that the final decision must always be made by the patient.

All that I ask is that when my time comes, whenever it is, that my death is swift and pain-free, that I’ve been able to say goodbye to loved ones, put my affairs in order, and sip that final glass of champagne.

Not too much to ask I hope. We all have different hopes and aspirations, and I would not want to deny someone else that choice.

School dinners show kids table manners

With the announcement this week from Education, Secretary Michael Gove, of his "intention" to roll out free school meals to all primary school children, I can see that he is certainly keen to ensure that he keeps on rocking the battered education boat.

I stress the word "intention" as with funding levels across the board still very tight, it might be an admirable aspiration but it is unlikely, at an annual predicted cost of £900 million, to come to fruition.

I am also aware that like many other announcements, the timing is very select, with schools now on the verge of breaking up for the summer, and teachers across the country breathing a huge sigh of relief at the thought of some respite from what is an increasingly demanding job.

In my very biased view, I think that the provision of free school meals would be a great idea, for a number of reasons. As a 'free school meal' child myself, which no matter how hard you try to avoid it, still carries something of a stigma, I can see only benefits from going down this route.

Administratively it would alleviate mountains of unnecessary paperwork; and the time, money and effort spent on the plethora of nanny politicking leaflets and initiatives demanding that we all eat our 'five a day'. It would ensure that all young children do at least get to eat one decent meal a day; and I can only begin to imagine the respite for harassed mums across the nation as they enjoy those extra few minutes in bed without the chore of producing packed lunches. It would also put an end to the nonsense of inspecting the contents of lunch boxes to make sure there are no hidden, unhealthy treats.

This is a great opportunity to start to turn around the eating habits and overall health of our youngsters; provided that someone can get round the 'I won't eat meat, I hate fish, I've got an allergy' brigade. Most schools no longer have their own school kitchens, so will the lunchtime provision be reduced to a 'healthy' salad sandwich made from gluten free bread, using a spread of some kind because the merest smear of butter would be far too dangerous?

There are many other hurdles to be overcome. You can be sure that schools will have to offer a choice (why?), which will result in a lot of waste. Provided the H&S lot are kept well out of it, my suggestion would be for each school to keep pigs, chickens and other small animals that can be fed on the scraps. This could also provide the opportunity to revive the long lost skill of cooking, while they learn that chicken does not come in nice neat vacuum packs, and that sausages do come from pigs. I can even envisage the kids themselves cooking their own lunch, now there's a revolutionary idea.

My own memories of school meals are not happy ones. I was required to sit there for the whole lunchtime pushing cold custard, semolina or tapioca around the bowl, and to this day I can't stand leeks. However, it did teach me a very important lifelong skill, to be able to sit at a table and, in any social situation, eat whatever is put in front of me without any fuss.

If I thought for one moment this was possible, even though I don't have children, I'd be willing to help foot the bill. I'd like to be proved wrong, but it'll never happen, and more's the pity.

The Decline of Trust to Protect our Vulnerable

In the wake of Rolf Harris's conviction for sexual abuse, it has been interesting to note how quickly the raft of celebrities and politicians who were happy to endorse him during the height of his fame, have been swift in their condemnation, as they rapidly attempt to distance themselves from him, writes Somerset County councillor Linda Vijeh.

We have seen comments from the likes of Esther Rantzen, Ronnie Corbett and Cilla Black, where not so long ago many of his showbiz colleagues would seek to bask in the reflected glory of association with someone who, at the time, was deemed to have become a national treasure.

What has surfaced during the trial is that Rolf has long been known to have had a dark side; reportedly coming to light on occasions such as those in which his latest artwork might have been unveiled. His response to criticism of his work revealed a less than genial side to his nature.

Inevitably, in the wake of his demise, the topic of much discussion is the fate of his paintings. They seem to have disappeared from public view overnight, as those who once lauded his dubious artistic talents now wish to hide their embarrassment at having fallen into the trap of paying through the nose for something with little merit. There have been calls for his paintings to be destroyed, but I would argue that they will quickly gain cult status, and will become quite valuable. Better therefore to auction them off, and the proceeds to go to his victims, or to support those organisations that support victims of abuse.

The real worry here is the extent to which such devious, manipulative behaviour is carried out so openly, with a level of arrogance borne out of the knowledge of the protection provided by his cosy celebrity coterie.

Closer to home, let's not kid ourselves; it may not make international headlines but this subversive, controlling behaviour is more common than we'd like to believe.

It is unfortunately a common ploy for those wishing to exert influence in an unhealthy way to position themselves within their communities, to become virtually untouchable. It is incumbent upon all of us to be aware of the motives behind those who seek to ingratiate themselves with us and our families, and for us to be more careful of the company we keep, or entrust our children to. Sadly, the lesson for all of us is that in future it will be that much more difficult to be able to blindly trust those who seek to do good, for we will all be looking for the ulterior motive.