Parliament

The Palace of Westminster was like no other government building in which I have ever been. The fact that parts of the building originated from the 1000’s is simply amazing because we do not have national history anywhere near that old in the United States. The tour guide explained the different divisions of Parliament, which include the Royalty, House of Lords, and House of Commons. It was fascinating to hear the numerous traditions till carried out today such as the Black Rod and the system of voting.
The entire building was covered from ceiling to floor with extravagant art and architecture. From the moment you enter, there are statues, stain-glass windows, rich fabrics, and lots of gold! Grand portraits of royalty lined the walls of most room. In the robing room, there are large portraits of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert dressed in their best clothes with jewels and a beautiful landscape behind them. The Prince’s Chamber outside of the House of Lord’s also contains pictures of Kings and Queens. Many buildings of Parliament stood on the same grounds, but architects Barry and Pugin designed the building standing today in the perpendicular gothic style after the fire of 1834. However, the Westminster Hall survived this fire and was built in the 1000’s with the hammer beamed roof built in the 1300’s.
The House of Lords was very extravagant with gold foil, red colours, and wood panelling. It is very visible to see today’s modern world mixed with traditions of the past. The royal throne that previous kings and queens used is still in place with its fantastic gold and worn fabric; however, microphones and speakers are situated throughout the room to allow for clear conversation and debates. I found it very interesting that red symbolizes the House of Lords and royalty because it is an expensive dye.
On the other hand, green represents the House of Commons because it is a very cheap dye made from plants. Furthermore, the House of Commons is much more plain than the House of Lords, but still beautiful in many ways. There are green leather couches and wood panelling throughout the small room with the Speaker seated in the middle. The seats cannot be reserved unless one attends prayers and puts a small green card behind a seat prior to a session. The tour guide also explained that the red ‘sword’ lines across the floor are not allowed to be crossed by members during a debate. The House of Commons could have been remodelled after the bombings, which destroyed it in WW2, but it was kept in its original form in order to preserve the intimate setting. This has caused the physical style of voting to remain from previous centuries because there is not enough room to do it any other way. “Yes” and “No” chambers are located on either side of the House, and members have exactly eight minutes to be inside the doors after the bell is rung.
Although many traditions remain throughout Parliament, there are many changes that have taken place over the years to allow greater democratic participation. The House of Lords is composed of elected officials that are appointed by the Prime Minister or Queen’s advisors. They primarily revise bills from the House of Commons, although one third are created directly from the House of Lords. Their power is changing under the new Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and there is a movement to make it an elected chamber like the House of Commons. There is also a tradition still in place today where people can go the counter in the Central lobby and ask for a green piece of paper to make an appointment with their representative. People are also allowed to sit in on the House of Lords and the House of Commons if there is available space.
The role of the State as an institution has changed dramatically over United Kingdom’s history. Royalty used to be the supreme power, and there was a belief that they ruled by divine right. After the English Civil War, the royalty’s power was diminished and the House of Commons had most of the power. The monarchy was restored with time but with far less power. Today the monarchy follows the traditions, but has very little actual power. There is a movement within the House of Commons, particularly with the Labour Party, to make the House of Lords an elected body and give more power to the people.