[Dailydrool] London Adventure: Monday am in Pawliament

[Sally King via Dailydrool]

Monday
We gathered in Pawliament Square the next morning, facing he largest gothic palace in Europe. Although the building is used for running the country nowadays, it started its life as a royal palace and has kept the title.

“Of course,” I told the hounds. “Since then, it has burned down twice and bombed during the Second World War. When that happened, all the MPs moved over the road to that building behind us, Westminster Central Hall, and carried on working.

“Now please, we have had some wonderful adventures, but I have to ask you to be as good as you possibly can be today – or our mum will kill us, and quite possibly you as well.” They all knew it was an empty threat, but I also knew the message had got home.

We crossed the road to reach the public entrance, and queued through security, where we were each given paper passes which we had to wear on our collars all the time we were there.

I led them around the corner and into Westminster Hall, a cavernous and rather chilly open space, with a stone floor. “This, I explained, is the oldest bit of Pawliament. It is the only part which survived both fires and the bomb.

“When foreign leaders are invited to address pawliament, they do it in here as it is the only place big enough for all he MPs and the Lords, plus guests, to gather.”

“It’s rather plain for a palace,” commented Olive. “It is, but back in the reign of Henry VIII it was used as a banqueting hall and probably had a load of tapestries on the walls.”

I led them to the top end of the hall, where steps led both up and down.

“Down there, is St Mary Undercroft, the MPs’ very own chapel and where suffragette Emily Wilding Davison  hid in a cupboard overnight on census night 1911, giving Parliament as her address and therefore winning the right, as the only woman in Britain, to vote. There is a memorial plaque to her inside the cupboard.

“We’re going up here, through ST Stephen’s Hall to the main building. “This is more like it,” said Olive admiring the brilliant paintings, statues and tilework.

“Just think,” sighed Duchess, “my mom used to walk in these very corridors.

“This is central lobby. Anyone who lives in England is entitled to come here and ask to see their member of parliament. To be honest it’s not a wise thing to do, because the chances are they won’t be here, but they still come.”

If you stand here, you can see the chamber for the Lords in this direction and the Commons opposite. There is a clear view from the Speaker's chair in the commons to the woolsack, where the Lords speaker sits. You will notice the seats in the Lords are red and the the commons are green. Nobody may sit on one of those benches unless they have a place in parliament. If you try, the Serjeant at arms will have you thrown out.
“In the UK parliament, voting takes place physically. Each side of each chamber has a long hallway. When members vote they have to walk through into one hall to vote yes, and the other to vote no. Then they are physically identified and counted by the clerks, who write down their names, so it is public knowledge how they voted.

Before each chamber are the robing rooms, you will notice how opulent the Lords’ chamber is compared to the commons. It was always so, and after the commons was bombed Winston Churchill had it rebuilt the same way.”

The hounds followed me around the palace on their very best behaviour. I showed them the Speaker’s chair, where the boss of the Commons sits in a sort of wooden throne and I showed them the huge, ornate throne the queen sits in when she goes to open parliament. I explained how no monarch is allowed in to the Commons, because Charles 1 went storming in and demanded the speaker show him men who did not agree to his plans. The speaker refused to tell him and many see the act as a catalyst for the English Civil War.

>From that time on, Black Rod (now a ceremonial figure)  must go and invite the members of the Commons to go into the Lords to hear the Queen’s speech when parliament reopens after holidays.

We saw the robing room where she puts on her magnificent cloak and the heavy crown (although she wears a lighter one now she’s getting on a bit) and her personal loo, hidden behind a secret panel – the boys all thought this was hilarious. We also saw Norman Gate where the Queen pulls up in the golden carriage.

There is so much to see there and so many layers of history, that we were wandering around for hours. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to take photos once you leave Westminster Hall, which the hounds found disappointing, but they enjoyed meeting he staff and pilfering snack from other tourists, as much as the grand halls, artworks and ornate ceilings.
For my part, it was lovely to have a nice peaceful, enjoyable day with no dramas.
Clara, in the Palace of Westminster with the best behaved tourists in London.

If you haven’t already, please consider sending a donation to to Basset Rescue Network Great Britain. You can Paypal payments at brngb.org.uk  or visit BRNB's Just Giving page to pay by card. Those who want to send a check can email me at bassetydogshomr at gmail.com for an address.


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