SNP Reveals House of Lords' Record Champagne Sales

Data from a freedom of information request by the Scottish National Party (SNP) revealed that champagne sales in the House of Lords reached a five-year high in 2023 with 1,589 bottles purchased at £88,987.90. This is a slight increase from 2022, when 1,580 bottles were sold for £85,462.51, and significantly higher than in 2020, the year of Covid-19 lockdown, when only 180 bottles were sold for £8,982. Sales in 2019 were 1,441 bottles for £69,988.80. SNP MP Tommy Sheppard criticized the House of Lords as 'archaic and out of touch', calling for its abolition, while a House of Lords spokesperson argued that champagne sales profits fund its activities.