Went on a trip to London yesterday with KOSSMIC for a tour round the Houses of Parliament. We left at 8.30 and got there by about 11.30. We went on a tour round the Cabinet War Rooms first of all as our visit wasn’t scheduled until 3.30. This is the secret bunker where the Cabinet spent a lot of time during World War II under Whitehall. They had all sorts of offices and rooms for the Prime Minister and his staff to work during air raids. It is also the home of the Churchill Museum which was opened in 2005. Both a very interesting visit if you are ever in that part of London.

At 3.30 we went over to the Sovereign’s Entrance to the Houses of Parliament and had our bags checked and started the tour. After walking through the door, there is a huge hall on the left which is the oldest remaining part of the Palace of Westminster. Don’t think its used much any more. Then we went down a corridor to the Main Lobby, which is the part you see on TV when they do interviews etc. From there there are two corridors leading off; one left to the House of Commons, and right to the House of Lords. Turning down the left hand corridor, there is another lobby area which has pigeon holes and other information for the MPs and statues of some Prime Ministers of the 20th Century, the most recent of which is the statue of Margaret Thatcher which was unveiled earlier in the week. Around the outside of the actual chamber is another corridor which is the Voting Lobby where votes are taken. We then went into the chamber itself. On first impression, it is much smaller than I expected it to be based on what I have seen on TV. Apparently there are more MPs than seats, so if every one of them turns up some will have to stand.

We then went out across the main lobby to the House of Lords. It is obvious the difference in the status of the two houses – this side was much more elegantly decorated with carved wood, and a huge gold wall at the one end with the thrown where the Queen sits on the opening of Parliament day. The seats here are red as opposed to the green seats in the Commons. Again, the chamber itself is very small and there isn’t enough space for all of the Lords to sit if they were to all turn up, which rarely happens.

A very interesting day out. If you ever get the chance to visit the Houses of Parliament, it is an absolute must see – the home of all democracy and law making in the country.