Food bank launches campaign to end subsidised ‘fine dining’ for MPs

The largest food bank in Westminster, home of the Houses of Parliament, has called for an end to subsidised “fine dining” for MPs, suggesting funds be redirected to combating poverty.

The North Paddington food bank (NPFB) has launched the campaign “No Food in The House” urging Parliament to use the millions spent on subsidised catering for MPs to tackle food insecurity across the country.

Politicians could enjoy a full three-course meal for as little as £10.41 last year, according to the charity, costing the taxpayer a reported £7million a year.

Catering services in the Houses of Parliament run at a loss, so public money is effectively spent bankrolling politicians’ lunches.

As well as MPs, there are around there are 14,000 parliamentary pass-holding staff who can eat and drink in parliament’s bars and restaurants.

Thomas Delap, head of NPFB, said: "When faced with food banks, inflation, and rising poverty, subsidised fine dining for MPs seems unsavoury."

“If it doesn’t look right, sound right, most often it isn’t right.”

Mr Delap said it was “galling” to think that politicians were “eating like kings” while people were “starving”.

“It pi**ed me off, basically, to think that MPs are sat there and we’re on your doorstep supporting nearly 8,000 households, 20,000 people each year”, he added.

“If the MPs were eating egg mayonnaise sandwiches on the cheap, I don’t think anybody would really care. When you delve into the extravagantness of the food and what’s on offer, that really angers people.”

The charity has also set up a petition on Change.org, which has gained more than 75,000 signatures.

More than 3 million people in the UK relied on food banks in the past year, and NPFB alone supports over 8,000 households annually.

MPs and staff in parliament are served food such as panko-coated lamb loin with carrot and Timothy Taylor Ale purée, black garlic, potato galette, and natural jus in the estate’s restaurants.

As part of the campaign, a fake menu based on the one served to MPs has been uploaded to Deliveroo under a listing called “The Houses of Parliament”.

The offering includes “pan-seared lemon sole with buttered English asparagus, watercress, white onion emulsions, poached mussels, oyster leaf, and caper burnt butter” for £10.10.

The charity stressed it is not advocating for the end of subsidised meals for lower-paid staff, but rather MPs who now earn £91,346.

The campaign features artwork on billboards and a range of slogan T-shirts produced by the British artist Corbin Shaw to raise public awareness.

One of the T-shirts displays the slogan “common as muck” on the front and “support your local food bank” on the back.

Mr Shaw also designed plates for the No Food in The House campaign which read “haven’t you had enough?” and “nationalise scran”.

Mr Delap added: “Benefit issues like sanctions, delays, and complex systems often lead to long-term food poverty. Politicians can reduce poverty in the UK at the click of a button, but they don’t. That’s a political choice.

“We believe the majority of people who see the campaign will get behind it. Anyone facing food insecurity or working in public services would not support MPs having fine dining subsidised meals and drinks.”

“Public servants, including those in the NHS, Police, and local authorities, do not get extravagant subsidised meals and drinks, so why should MPs?”

A UK Parliament spokesperson said: “Our catering venues serve over a million customers every year - including visitors, MPs, Peers and journalists - as well as the thousands of staff who keep Parliament running 24 hours a day. All items are sold above cost price and we continuously seek to reduce costs.

“Parliament is a unique working environment and our high volume of customers - spread across a number of different outlets and buildings - means that additional costs are unavoidable. Prices in our venues are benchmarked against those in the immediate area, increasing most recently in the Spring 2024. This has helped ensure our catering venues are providing value for money, while continuing to support those working on the parliamentary estate.”