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A Trip to the House of Lords

Charlie , 11 Grey

Three weeks ago today, I was not sitting on my bed trying desperately to complete my music coursework – such is the life of a year eleven with time management issues – but rather enjoying something significantly more exciting (not to suggest that trying to find adequate rhyming lyrics for a musical theatre song isn’t intellectually stimulating). Having spent a wonderful day the week before listening to speeches, writing manifestos, and generally having a lovely time with Wimbledon High and my fellow Brighton Girls Politics and Economics club members (shameless plug, it’s the best way you can spend a Friday lunchtime by far) at the GDST Women in Politics day, I – along with Jen Diab and Steph Gillespie-Bedford – had won the trip of a lifetime; a day at the House of Lords, as guests of the right honourable Baroness Northover. So, at 12.15, I excused myself from class, sent out a terribly apologetic email to Mr Walton (one can really only miss Chamber Choir so many times), and off we went.

The sky was unusually – and mercifully – clear for a November day, and as such the train ride and walk there was very pleasant. Conversation topics included Lord of the Flies, kidney dialysis, the history of medicine (any opportunity to revise; aren’t we great students!) and, most importantly, the day ahead. We knew the basics of the day; we would arrive, sit in on oral questions in the main chamber of the House of Lords, go on a guided tour of the Houses of Parliament, and have tea with the Baroness. Beyond that, though, it was a mystery.

Once we arrived in London – no train delays, so surely a Christmas miracle – we seemed to arrive beneath Big Ben all too quickly (I wasted no time reminding everyone on the trip that Big Ben is the bell, and the building is really called the Elizabeth Tower. I’m great at parties.) Until that moment, the visit – whilst clearly an incredible opportunity – had seemed more of a concept than a reality. But then, standing outside the Houses of Parliament, I was suddenly struck with quite how lucky I was. The oldest part of the building – Westminster Hall – was constructed in 1097, under William II (son of William the conqueror). I was entering a place with nearly a thousand years of history, the home of British democracy, and suddenly I felt rather overwhelmed, and very small. I’m a self-confident individual, so the feeling was alien to me, but I was horribly afraid that I simply wouldn’t belong.  

At first, it seemed my worst fears had come true – we passed through security after arriving and I immediately had my scissors confiscated, which I had foolishly left in my bag from that morning’s lessons. Never have I been more embarrassed. Thankfully the ordeal was over very quickly, and we all passed through, where we met the Baroness. I admit I was a little concerned beforehand – what if my manners didn’t pass muster, or I said something inappropriate for the setting? But truly, I have never met anyone so kind, understanding, and genuinely funny. We all introduced ourselves and chatted about the journey up before heading through to outside the House of Lords’ main chamber. Every step of the way was awe-inspiring – the artwork, the architecture, even just those who work there going about their business prompted me to grab Jen’s shoulder and whisper to her about this or that. I could have stayed there for hours just taking it in. The idea that this was where laws were put forward, discussed, and passed – the very same laws that shape our nation – was incredible.

We gathered together outside the main chamber, along with other members of the public who had been invited to observe politics in action, and waited. The Baroness explained each step of the process to us all, as well as answering our (many) questions, and I felt reassured that I would not, in fact, commit some awful fois-pas and be escorted out of the building. After a few moments, an announcement was made, and a brief pre-business ceremony took place, involving prayers by the Bishop of London. Regular attendees of Politics and Economics club will be thrilled to hear that we did, in fact, encounter Black Rod in person! The Baroness moved to enter the chamber, and we were escorted upstairs to the viewing gallery. 

The experience of sitting within the chamber was, I think, too spectacular to put into words. Later in the day I asked Baroness Northover if she ever got used to working in such an incredible place, and she replied that it’s only when people like us visit that she really becomes aware of the spectacle of it. The main chamber in the House of Lords is a magnificent room, full of ornate paintings and chandeliers, and that’s even without considering what takes place within it. We were only able to stay for the first 40 minutes of the proceedings, but discussions would continue to take place until 7pm that night (they began at 2.30, for context). These first 40 minutes were taken up by oral questions, involving issues such as the Windrush policy, HS2, COP28, and support to children affected by climate change and conflict in fragile states. This last point was of particular interest to me, considering how many girls’ educations are affected by such matters (which was a point raised in the meeting). I spent the time entirely enthralled by the discussions taking place, and was quite amazed when Ms Parsons told me that yes, we did in fact need to leave now.

Next on the list was a tour of the Houses of Parliament, on which we were guided by Baroness Northover. I fear using this phrase too much rather dilutes its meaning but, once again, I found the experience wholly awe inspiring. Regrettably, though understandably, we were not permitted to take many photos, although attached at the end is my photo of the Elizabeth Tower (or, I suppose, Big Ben) which was technically taken from within Westminster Hall – or at least, with one foot in it. We entered St. Mary’s undercroft chapel: a beautiful building in itself, made even more fascinating when the Baroness showed us the cupboard where Emily Davison hid on the 1911 census night to prove that women were, in fact, in Parliament. Though I’m unable to name a highlight of the trip – it was all far too amazing to pick one part – this was certainly up there. 

After this, we continued on our tour, with the Baroness pointing out notable areas, paintings, and rooms, before proceeding to the House of Commons – keeping to one side of the hallway, as the Baroness instructed, as it has to stay clear in case a message needs to be passed between the two houses. I briefly considered the concept of emails, but considering that there were more pressing matters, quickly shelved the question. Compared to the House of Lords, it’s a little less grand, but I still spent plenty of time staring at walls, ceilings, et cetera, and we sat in the chamber there, too. In the many times I’ve sat watching Prime Minister’s Questions, I never expected to be in the very room on my screen – but it was, undoubtedly, a day of new experiences. 

We returned to the House of Lords, and the day finished up with tea (I can thus confirm that our governments’ brand of choice is Twinings) as well as asking any questions we had of Baroness Northover. It was a far more relaxed atmosphere than I had feared, and the opportunity to talk to someone who works so closely to uphold democracy was amazing. I believe I speak for all members of the trip when I say we could easily have spent hours discussing the workings of the government, especially through the lens of a woman, and hearing how attending Brighton Girls had aided the Baroness’ growth made me appreciate even further how beneficial my school, and the GDST as a whole, really is. 

Tea was cut short only by a hesitant reminder that we did, sadly, have a train home to catch, prompting a typical brisk walk to the station whilst Ms Parsons, reliable as ever, ensured we’d get home – unfortunately, our transport-related luck had run out and strikes led to us having to change at East Croydon. A small price to pay, I thought as we shivered in the late-autumn evening, testing each other on the dangers of kidney transplants, for one of the greatest opportunities I would ever have. The trip to the House of Lords was an incredible experience, and I can’t thank those who organised it, everyone who attended the GDST Women in Politics Day, Miss Baldwin, Mrs Findlay, Ms Parsons, and, of course, The Right Honourable Baroness Northover, enough.