On 14th October, Debbie Charlton who is Berkhamsted and Tring Branch’s Women’s officer organised a visit to Westminster for 5 Labour CLP members for a guided tour of the Houses of Parliament
Here’s Debbie’s impressions of the visit.
We started in the impressive Westminster Hall — the oldest part of the building — where famous figures like Nelson Mandela, Barack Obama and Volodymyr Zelensky have all addressed both Houses. It’s also where kings and queens are laid in state, so it really does feel steeped in history.
From there, we made our way into the Central Lobby, a spot you’ll often see on TV when reporters are chasing MPs for a comment. Above the entrance is a stunning stained-glass window marking the date women first got the vote. Amazingly, parts of the window light up in time with the Thames tides! (And yes, there’s even a post office in the lobby!)
Next, we followed the corridor to the House of Lords chamber. Our guide told us there are still 98 hereditary peers — though there are plans to reduce that number to none in future.
Back in the lobby, we caught the short ceremony as the Speaker entered the House of Commons — something that happens every time the House sits. To finish the visit, we went up to the Commons visitors’ gallery and were just in time to see our MP, Victoria Collins, give a short speech — a lovely surprise!
We rounded off the trip with lunch in the café and, of course, a lively political debate of our own. A great day all round!