MP Eric Joyce has been indefinitely banned from purchasing or being served alcohol in the Houses of Parliament following his arrest on suspicion of assault. The ban comes after an alleged drunken brawl at a House of Commons bar on Thursday night, which led to the Falkirk MP spending a night in custody.
The Commons authorities announced the immediate prohibition, which will remain in place pending the outcome of police investigations. Mr Joyce, 52, was arrested on suspicion of assault and later re-arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm while at Belgravia police station. He was released on bail on Friday, with a requirement to return to a central London police station in late March.
Witness Tony Grew from PoliticsHome described seeing the MP wrestling with two police officers at the packed Sports and Social Club. He told ITV News that around 40 to 50 parliamentary staff watched the melee in shock, with bar staff trying to push people back.
The incident marks the second alcohol-related offence for Mr Joyce, who was convicted of assault in a parliamentary bar last year and subsequently resigned from the Labour Party. A House of Commons spokesman stated that such incidents are rare but noted that given the MP's previous offence, the Speakers and House Authorities agreed to the immediate ban.
Measures to promote responsible drinking in Parliament have already been introduced, including instructions to reduce topping up glasses and significant price increases on alcohol, now comparable to high street pubs. Subsidies for food and drink on the estate amount to over £5m a year.
MPs expressed concern for Mr Joyce's welfare on Twitter, with Conservative Penny Mordaunt highlighting the need for colleagues to get help. Former GP Sarah Wollaston noted that Westminster is blind to drinking problems. However, former Falkirk MP Dennis Canavan called for Mr Joyce to stand down, stating his constituents have had no effective representation for over a year.
