Rehab Parliamentary Pancake Race

The 17th annual Parliamentary Pancake Race in aid of the Rehab charity takes place in Victoria Tower Gardens, Westminster, on the morning of Shrove Tuesday, March 4. Rehab provides life-changing services to over 40,000 people each year in the UK, including care, rehabilitation, training, labour market and employment services.

The nail-biting and tense event sees teams of MPs, Lords and members of the Parliamentary Press Gallery compete in a relay for the chance to cross the finish line in a blaze of glory and hold the Magnificent Tin Cup aloft. MPs will be hoping to make it three-in-a-row following their successive wins over the past two years, while the Lords and media will be keen to ensure that they don’t get too big for their boots.

With memories of last year’s keenly-fought contest still firmly etched on participants’ minds, and the cutting of corners, tugging on apron strings, and nefarious double-dealing that abounded, organisers are warning that the rules will be strictly enforced in 2014. Amongst the regulations are that participants act in a “gentlemanly and gentlewomanly” way at all times, that frying pans cannot be used as weapons, and that pancakes must not be propelled at others.

For the members of Parliament participating, their pledge to perfect their pancake-flipping skills for the big day is one promise that they resolutely intend to stick to!