On Monday 11th April, Local MP Luke Hall welcomed residents of Rangeworthy to the Houses of Parliament. The trip marks the start of a new initiative, organised by Luke to provide all constituents of Thornbury and Yate with the opportunity to visit the heart of the British Democracy.
Luke organised a coach to leave from the Rose and Crown in Rangeworthy and take residents to Parliament, where residents had tea and cake in the café of one of the most iconic buildings in the world before having a fully guided tour around Parliament by a Professional Tour Guide.
The tour visited all parts of both the House of Lords and the House of Commons, ending in the chamber where local residents stood in the exact spot where Theresa May stands in Prime Minister’s Questions. The residents of Rangeworthy were also able to view the splendour and beauty in less publicly known places within the Westminster Palace, such as the The Royal Portrait Gallery, Central Lobby, Westminster Hall and The Queen’s Robing Room, where the Queen gets ready ahead of her annual address to Parliament.
Residents then met with Luke in one of Parliament’s committee rooms, where the finer details of legislation are normally discussed. Luke gave a talk as the local MP, describing his journey from working in Retail to becoming the Member of Parliament for his home town, where he used to manage Lidl. Rangeworthy residents then had an open discussion with Luke about both local and national issues, including speeding on Rangeworthy roads, the Metro Mayor elections and the situation in Syria.
Luke Hall said: “This Rangeworthy trip was hopefully the first of many local towns and villages to come to Parliament on one of my tours. It is a huge privilege to represent my local area and I want to ensure that as many local people as possible are able to see the heart of our democracy. ”
Rangeworthy resident, Alison White said; “A huge thank you for organising such a wonderful trip to the Houses of Parliament yesterday. I have to say the trip exceeded my expectations in every way. All in all, a fantastic day that I would gladly relive. An amazing opportunity to visit the heart of our democracy.”
Luke is now encouraging other local towns and villages who would like to host a trip to parliament to get in touch.