Every year students and staff from the Politics department visit the Houses of Parliament. The first part of the day consisted of a walk down Whitehall including a look at 10 Downing Street, numerous government departments and then lunch at Trafalgar Square. After lunch, they visited the various courtrooms, displays and exhibitions of the Supreme Court, the UK’s highest appeal court, where many important decisions are taken concerning our rights and liberties.

Then a tour of Parliament that lasted about an hour and a half, though it would take far longer to do real justice to such a large, historical and interesting building and all that takes place within it. Parliament was busy as usual, students were incredibly lucky to see a debate taking place in the House of Lords on civil liberties. Also in the House of Commons ministers such as The Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP, Secretary of State for Defence, and Mel Stride MP, discussing their recent policy decisions.

They also took in some of the history of Westminster Hall, the public galleries, the Central Lobby, St.Stephens Hall and other areas of the Palace of Westminster. Finally, they took part in a Debating in Parliament exercise which involved all students participating in a Commons mock debate exercise.

There was also a short amount of time to sightsee central London before getting a train back to Durham.

An interesting, day out in the capital.