The Official Monster Raving Loony Party

After the wonderful reception at the House of Parliament, we knew we had our day cut out. Arrangements had been made with Chris Gill one our Co-ALE-ition brewers and Derrill Carr, the brains exraordinaire behind the whole project, to visit three J. D.Wetherspoon outlets in London.
The first being ‘The Rochester Castle’ in Stoke Newington, Knigel Knapp led the way cause it was his local, he knew where to go. So we hot footed it down tube stations, on buses and finally got there at 4 o’clock, where they had ‘Monsters in the Dark’ and ‘Hope and Glory’ on hand pump, we were treated by Angela the landlady to sample our own beer, which of course we accepted! We also met some of the North London Loony contingent, notably ‘Stanley Bad’ who plays guitar, and will be joining the ‘Big Fibbers’ at our conference in Wales later this the year!
Then we made our way back into Central London to a Wetherspoon flagship outlet called ‘The Crosse Keys’ they also had  ‘Monsters’ and ‘Hope’ on, the bar staff were impeccable, and very pleased to see us, invited us behind the bar for photo’s, under instruction from the management, “don’t you dare miss this opportunity” was the order of the day. It was also very pleasing to see their Electric Tariff board with both our Co-ALE-ition brews, sticking out like a thirsty tongue!

Off we went again, by underground train, to Tower Bridge, after a leisurely stroll across the bridge, on a nice hot day, we were only too pleased to finally come upon our third stop ‘The Pommelers Rest’, actually in Bermondsey, which of course was the place in history where the Official Monster Raving Loony Party first stood under that name in 1983, our illustrious leader ‘Screaming Lord Sutch’ was the first ever candidate, he was well remembered! Once again we were welcomed with open arms, like long lost friends, it had been advertised that we would be there, I don’t know if the beer, once again ‘Monsters’ and ‘Hope’ tasted better, or if it was that we were just thirstier, but once again thanks to the management (we weren’t left short)!
We would also like to thank Henry, Portia and Rob, from Deuce Films, for following us around and showing an interest in putting a Loony Party documentary together, they haven’t finished yet, they will be at the conference .
All in all a wonderful time was had by all, Leon Slater, Steve and Joy Lawson, Loony Party sympathisers, who have been to all the Brewery Launches, were invited to be our honoured guests for the day, thanking them for their support!
There was just one down side to the day, Derrill Carr,who had worked so hard on our behalf, arranging and co-ordinating, was unable to be with us, he was so looking forward to it, but went down with a serious bout of flu.
Happily to report that he seems to be OK now, but such a shame, we missed him!
Howling ‘Laud’ Hope
Party Leader.

Howling makes his point with Sir Gerald Howarth with barman Will nervously biting his nails in the background

Howling and a few of his loyal supporters plus Knigel ” Big Fibber ” Knapp and Lisa Robins representing the Longdog brewery were invited to the Houses of Parliament on Wednesday 25 June to officially launch Longdog’s Winning Co-ALE-ition in The Strangers Bar.
The party arrived at the Houses of Parliament around midday and were met by Rollo Hope (no relation to Howling) at 12.30 who escorted the group to The Strangers Bar. Straight after Prime Minsters’ Questions (PMQs) they were then joined by their joint hosts

Official launch of Winning Co-ALE-ition with Howling’s two local MPs from left to right — Sir Gerald Howarth, Howling and James Arbuthnot

Sir Gerald Howarth (Conservative MP for Aldershot and Rushmoor District) and Maria Miller (Conservative MP for Basingstoke and former Coalition Govt Minister for Culture), plus James Arbuthnot (Conservative MP for Fleet and NE Hampshire) and Simon Hughes (Lib Dems MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark and currently the Coalition Govt Minister for Justice).
Back in Feb 1983, when the Loony Party first fielded a candidate at an election, it was Screaming Lord David Sutch who took on Simon Hughes in the Bermondsey by-election.

Group photo from left to right — Howling, Lisa Robins (Longdog brewery), Maria Miller, James Arbuthnot, Sir Gerald Howarth and Simon Hughes.

Simon Hughes won this by-election and was elected as an MP for the first time in 1983 and has been the Bermondsey MP ever since. We have invited Simon several times to Co-ALE-ition launch events to celebrate 30 years of the OMRLP and his own 30 year term as the Bermondsey MP and we were especially delighted he accepted our invitation to join us in The Strangers Bar for this very special launch of Winning Co-ALE-ition which was first luanched in Sept 2013 to celebrate 30 years since the OMRLP first stood at an election.
All four MPs were drinking Winning Co-Ale-ition and the ale was on fine form and served in excellent condition by Will the barman. Will also confirmed that Winning Co-ALE-ition had been on sale since Monday and was very popular and he expected all 5 casks to be sold in less than a week.

Howling trapped between Culture & Justice and Maria feels another tap on her shoulder, from left to right — Maria Miller, Howling and Simon Hughes

Winning Co-ALE-ition is the only ale brewed for a political party to appear in a bar in the Houses of Parliament and yet another first for the OMRLP.
It was amazing for Howling to see himself portrayed on the Winning Co-ALE-ition pumpclip in The Strangers Bar with his hand held up high by David Cameron (photo was taken at the Witney General Election count in May 2010) knowing that this would be visible to lots of MPs from all parties and would really put the Loony Party on the map.

on the terrace in the Houses of Parliament — Knigel Knapp, Howling, Leon Slater and Joy Lawson.

Howling’s party, together with their MP guests, then moved onto the outside terrace of The Strangers Bar for the afternoon where they were able to soak up the sun drinking Co-ALE-ition looking out over a magnificent panorama featuring the River Thames and Westminster Bridge. They were a truly privileged group of people and as they left the Houses of Parliament they noticed that the direction sign for the House of Lords had been changed to the “House of Lauds”

Outside on the terrace in the Houses of Parliament — Knigel Knapp, Howling, Joy and Steve Lawson.

HOPEfully signalling that Howling will soon take his well deserved place in the second chamber!