The House of Parliament

On Friday January the 25th, i went in the house of Parliament. I really wanted to know how the building was inside, but most important, how the legislative power was operational in the United Kingdom.

To know that, you have to pay £10 if you are a student and £15, if you are an adult. Then, when you start the visit, you are treated as you were dangerous criminals. You always have to be under the eyes of the guide. You can't  have a seat in each seat... and you can not take photographs or videos. You have really the impression to be an intruder.

Bob Acri - Sleep Away

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Finaly, it is for the security of everybody and when you understand that, you focus your intention on the story of the guide which is history, the history of the House of Parliament. This story and history teach you a lot about all the kings and queens, notably, to nominate the more famous of them, the queens Victoria, Elisabeth I and II, King Henri VIII, Georges III and VI...

In addition, the guide talk to you quickly about the changing of the architecture of the building since he was built 900 years ago.  Since the fire of 1666 the style of the building has been neogothic. You could see stained glasses, flying buttresses...

Because i was in the House of Parliament, the guide explained to us how a law is adopted or non accepted. In fact, there are two groupes like in most of European contruies: you have the Chamber of Lords and the Chamber of deputies.  The Lords are not elected by the people, but it will maybe change. Because there is a debate between traditional experience and democratie, we do not know... 

A law proposal is first green and becomes white if the text seems to be interesting, it is read three times. When a law is adopted, the Queen has to sign it and it can't be modified 13 mounths after the signature. When deputies go to vote the law, they use a different way depending on their choice: if they vote yes, they vote in a particular room, different if they do not. As a result, the choice is not secret like in France. 

So, this was interesting but a little frustating.