The Houses of Parliament is the venue for the two houses of Parliament for the UK – the House of Lords, the upper house of Parliament responsible revising and initiating legislation, and the House of Commons, where the true power lays. It is the House of Commons who the Prime Minister is answerable to.

Tours of the Houses of Parliament are open to the general public (that is, non-residents) throughout the summer only, when the Houses are out on recess, or on Saturdays. Residents can get (free) tours throughout the year arranged through your MP or a Lord. So popular are these tours that apparently they have to be booked about six months in advance!

On a lovely brilliant summer’s day Rache, Nic and I took the easier, but more expensive option, of buying tickets for a Saturday. The tour provided very popular and even though they limit numbers (I think approx. 30) there were at least three English groups that left in our particular time slot and each one was maxed out.

The whole process of how the Houses of Parliament works was explained from how members get their “agenda” for the day, protocols in the two Houses (e.g. voting, speaking, where people sit!), and the history of significant art/statues were explained. I quite liked our tour guide but the big group made it difficult at times to hear what he was saying. We were taken through the House of Commons (the green room) and the House of Lords (the room). Interestingly in the House of Lords votes are physical votes, where members leave the chamber and walk through a particular division to indicate their choice. No hiding behind paperwork in the House of Lords!

The tour lasts for approx. 75 minutes and is well worth experiencing … if just to get a better understanding of how the UK legislative system operates. Unfortunately no photos inside the actual houses though 🙁