Parliament and Politics
On Sept. 26 the International Enrichment students developed their knowledge of British politics and the Parliamentary system with a lecture by Dave Eyde. Edye gave a lecture that spanned nearly 1000 years of British politics in just an hour, from the Middle Ages to Tony Blair’s impending exit as Prime Minister.
The next morning at 9:45 a.m. the students, droopy-eyed and yawning, poured out of Westminster tube station, swarmed the sidewalk in front of Westminster palace, and waited for the tour of the Houses of Parliament to begin.
After passing through security, the students were split into groups of about 20 and taken on guided tours of the building. Among the many pieces of artwork, students saw portraits of a young Queen Elizabeth II, her husband Phillip, Henry VIII and his six wives. Paintings of famous English battle scenes also lined the corridors. In the room where foreign heads of state often give speeches, there are two depictions of French defeats, which, according to the tour guide, caused late French President Charles De Gaul to demand an alternate accommodation. Tudor roses adorned the walls of the stately rooms, and statues of notable Prime Ministers such as Winston Churchill and Lord Asquith filled the antechamber to the House of Commons. Unfortunately no photographs were allowed. Historical artifacts were also prevalent, including a box filled with sands from the different beaches in the Invasion of Normandy during the Second World War.
Students also explored the debating chambers of the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The House of Lords was decorated in red, the color representative of the English aristocracy. In the House of Commons debating Chamber the students also saw gifts given to Parliament following the Battle of Britain during World War II, which destroyed much of the décor in the room. Among the many gifts were a table from Canada and the archway to the chamber from Pakistan and India.
After the tour, students gathered in a conference room to listen to Conservative Member of Parliament, Graham Brady speak frankly about modern politics in Britain. He expressed his dislike of the current Prime Minister, Tony Blair, and explained the political climate in Britain today. Brady is the Shadow Minister for Europe, and often works with organizations like the European Union. He told the students that he has very little political ambition and is content to continue working in his current capacity.
Following a question and answer period with Brady, the weary students filed out of the palace for an afternoon in the city.
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