Visitors to Parliament, as well as being overwhelmed by the building itself, love to pick out the famous faces and hear about some of the traditions. Others, particularly schoolchildren want to know more about what an MP actually does.
Among last week’s visitors were The Mayor and Mayoress of North East Lincolnshire – Cliff and Sally Barber - as, in keeping with long-standing tradition the two Borough MPs entertained them to lunch after they had taken in Prime Minister’s Questions. Long-standing traditions are something that Westminster does very well; all have no doubt been established for a good reason though it’s not always obvious what that reason is. Why, for example, when the Vice-Chamberlain of the Royal Household (his day job is a Government whip) appears and delivers a message from the Queen, which as Mr Speaker declares – we are graciously pleased to receive - does he or she have to walk backwards out of the Chamber?
The Mayor got his fair share of famous faces as the Prime Minister entered and sat at a neighbouring table which meant that I was able to introduce the Mayor to him and later Melanie introduced him to the Labour leadership contender Andy Burnham which meant we maintained political balance and the Mayor, who during his year of office is politically neutral, shook hands with someone from each side of the House!
Just to show that there are some genuine comedians at Westminster another guest in the restaurant was Jim Davidson.
The Mayor of course didn’t need to ask what an MP does but one slightly less than serious description could be: spend six hours each week on a train, keep your leg muscles in good trim by bobbing up and down at regular intervals, sit through hours of not always stimulating debate, spend hours preparing a masterly 15 minute speech, sit for three or four hours waiting to deliver it only to find that the Speaker has set an 8-minute time limit on contributions and then take part in a vote the outcome of which is known in advance. Though of course the result of all votes are not known in advance as just occasionally the Government lose as in last week’s vote on the Sunday Trading laws – an issue that always splits the Conservative Party and should have been left well alone.
Despite much of the focus of attention in Westminster being on the build-up to the European referendum normal business carries on. I have spent around twelve hours on the HS2 London to West Midlands Public Bill Committee which sounds about as exciting as its name. Every Bill goes through what’s known as its Committee Stage when a group of eighteen members go through it line-by-line. The minister in charge moves each clause and the Opposition members question it, agree it or move an amendment or new clause pushing some of them to the vote.
These committees are usually fairly mind-numbing and so this one proved. The Bill is in effect a planning application writ large. The discussions ranged from the best way of moving the sub-soil from below Euston station whilst it is being rebuilt to the protection of pear trees in the Chilterns; all of this is important and it does show how much care and attention to detail projects of this kind are subjected t before gaining final approval.
The word around Westminster has it that the whips put troublesome MPs on these committees as a punishment and though I’m sure that happens all backbenchers are allocated to them at some time. I suspect it’s a combination of luck of the draw, punishment and the desire to get a Bill through this awkward Committee Stage without too much internal opposition. The last thing that any government wants is opposition from its own members as well as from other parties.
I suspect the Mayor returned home, like most visitors, somewhat bemused, perhaps slightly in awe but nevertheless grateful that we are governed in such an open way when all the faults as well as the virtues of any man-made institution are there for all to see.