MPs look to curry flavour

Westminster's vindaloo-loving MPs could soon have their own curry house on the premises, in a bid to widen the diets of Britain's MPs.

The catering committee has decided to turn one of parliament's cafeterias into an Indian restaurant after it was discovered the Commons has two curry chefs on staff.

The new curry house - which some Conservative wags have already dubbed Hindujas after the controversial Indian billionaires - is expected to be patronised by a legion of political curry-lovers, including the chancellor, Gordon Brown, and the leader of the house, Robin Cook.

At present the nearest curry house to the Commons is the exclusive Cinammon Club, a 10-minute walk away - leaving MPs vulnerable to missing a vote.

"The chancellor does like a curry, and so does Clare [Short] and Robin Cook, but I don't think John Prescott is that keen - he prefers a Chinese," said Dennis Turner, the Labour chairman of the committee. "I actually prefer more traditional food but there was a lot of demand for curries."

David Hinchliffe, the Labour chairman of the Commons health select committee and a fan of hot madras curries, said: "It's a fantastic idea provided it is authentic curry. I don't want a tame English version."

The naming of the new restaurant could leave a bitter taste in Labour MPs' mouths, however.

Mr Turner said that the MPs would hold a competition to choose a name for the curry house but Andrew Mitchell, the Conservative MP for Sutton Coldfield, said: "In view of the government's close relationship with the Hinduja family, surely it has to be called Hindujas."