The aides that follow politicians around are often called bag carriers, but at the moment it’s noticeable the number of MPs and Lords seen around Westminster clutching carrier bags of one sort or another.
The reason is that it’s summer term and these are goody bags plundered from the very many receptions that take place at this time of year.
Firms, charities and causes of all sorts love to hold their do on the Parliamentary Estate. It’s a way of getting close to policy-makers and impressing clients and donors.
And it doesn’t take much to entice the people that matter along.
One Lord proudly showed me his haul courtesy of the Swiss Ambassador this week. It included a small box of chocolates and a cloth to clean his glasses. Doesn’t matter how grand your station in life, a freebie’s a freebie.
Most of the events take place on the terrace. Next to the mighty River Thames, the backdrop of Parliament on one side and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lambeth Palace across the water, it’s as fine a setting as there is in the entire country.
The ambience is only slightly spoiled by the seagulls that have grown fat on leftover food from the receptions that take place and the bagpiper busking on Westminster Bridge whose musical talents are average at best, but who is rumoured to be making more than most of the MPs courtesy of thousands of easily impressed tourists.
And then there’s the politicians themselves who grow increasingly loud as the evening wears on.
One peer is known to have a habit of loudly pointing out to the tourists taking pictures from the bridge that they will never be allowed to sully the best beer garden in the world.
One MP stormed off the Terrace last week after someone said they didn’t like his tie! You’d think he might have better things to worry about.
The problem is, he doesn’t.
Anyone hoping that the spring’s lull in legislation would come to an end with the Queen’s Speech has been left disappointed.
Still members find they have little to do. Hence there’s already been two days of debate handed to the opposition to stir things up one on the passport chaos, one on getting party manifestos audited by the Office for Budgetary Responsibility.
The latter, led by Ed Balls last week, was particularly poor, because not only is it a less than engaging issue, but the only people with less economic credibility than the Labour party are the OBR who have yet to get an economic forecast correct in their four years of existence.
On Monday, Labour are getting another day of business to themselves. This time the impressive Rachel Reeves will attempt to publicise the increasing scandal of the chaos at Iain Duncan Smith’s Department for Work and Pensions that’s seen most of the ministry’s landmark welfare reforms running over budget and over time.
Trouble is, the DWP will send some junior minister to offer a timid response knowing no one will really be watching and any vote will be meaningless.
What’s needed is for the Government to get on with their programme of legislation.
The Infrastructure Bill that is likely to allow fracking under your house whether you like it or not would give the parties something to argue about.
The Recall Bill allowing the electorate to sack their MP will command the attention of every single member for sure.
But for now the summer salad days drift by with a series of meaningless debates.
MPs understandably ask themselves why they should bother turning up when there’s much more fun to be had at a mini-tennis tournament in Palace Yard or getting pictured with Citizen Khan off the telly at a boozy do by the river.
And, unlike Parliament, you might get a goody bag for turning up to one of those.
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