MPs, the men in tights (and hacks) charged £500k more for Commons food and booze

Now this austerity business is really starting to bite.

The House of Commons Commission has just slipped out a press release announcing major savings, cutting £12 million from its budget this year - five per cent more than planned.

It will include scaling back programmes and projects and freezing all but essential recruitment.

Select committee jollies will feel the pinch, with travel budgets cut by £800,000.

But the thing exercising hacks this morning is a price hike in the bars, raising £500,000.

It will bring canteen charges "into line with benchmark workplace venues" and bar bills "into line with a competitively priced high street pub chain".

It's enough to drive a hard-pressed hack to drink.