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Days before the anniversary of Winston Churchill's death, BNU Law students took a trip to Parliament. Churchill served in the House of Commons for 62 years and also supervised the rebuilding of the House of Commons as Prime Minister after it was bombed by the Nazis on May 10 1941. 

First and second year Law students undertook a tour of Parliament with a professional guide and also spoke with three MPs. A few students stayed after the tour ended to witness the Speaker's procession, a tradition dating back 800 years, and also watched the Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove MP, take questions in the Commons. 

The tour started in the Robing Room, where King Charles III robes for the state opening of Parliament, and then proceeded to the Royal Gallery where major state occasions are held. It continued to the House of Lords, the House of Commons and finally the oldest part of the building, Westminster Hall, which was built in 1097 and which until 1882 was where Royal Courts of Justice sat until the courts moved to the Strand in Central London.

There were many famous trials that have taken place in Westminster Hall. The most famous being the trial of King Charles I for high treason which took place from the January 20 1649 until January 27 1649, when he received the death sentence. Charles I was executed three days later outside Banqueting House in Whitehall on the January 30 1649, 375 years ago.

The students also met Steve Baker MP,  MP for Wycombe, and Minister of State for Northern Ireland, Joy Morrissey MP,  MP for Beaconsfield, and Assistant Whip in the Government and Darren Henry MP, MP for Broxtowe.

BNU Law students with Steve Baker MP

BNU Law students meeting Joy Morrissey MP

Numerous issues were discussed, including tackling crime in High Wycombe, services at High Wycombe and Stoke Mandeville hospitals, the Rwanda plan for asylum seekers and  problems in the criminal justice system, such as the overcrowding of prisons. 

A First-year Law student said: "I really enjoyed visiting the House of Commons and seeing it up front in person after watching Prime Ministers Question Time for so long. The Commons did seem a lot smaller. It was nice to speak to Steve Baker MP about his constituency. It was nice being here. It was a great day."

Adelaide Manu, also a first year Law student, added: "I really liked the tour of the House of Lords. I loved the history, especially the fact that everything was built for Queen Victoria by Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin." 

While second year Law student Joy Dellah-Gu said: "Visiting Parliament was the best recap one could have of what we studied in public law in semester one."

Commenting on the trip, Sarah Williams, Head of the School of Business and Law, said: "External visits are educationally invaluable, none more so than visiting Parliament where students were able to see parliamentary democracy in action and to feel Parliament's one thousand year old history.  The students were also given the opportunity to  engage with local MPs Steve Baker and Joy Morrissey and to share their concerns with them about a whole range of issue and this was appreciated by the MPs and students alike."