A field trip to Parliament

Finalists of the School of Politics and International Studies had a fantastic field trip to Parliament in Westminster, London.

The field trip was part of their module Parliaments and the Public, led by Professor Cristina Leston-Bandeira. Students were given a tour of the Palace of Westminster, being taken amongst other to the royal rooms where the Queen prepares for the State Opening of Parliament ceremony. Students were also treated to being able to stand amongst the benches of the chambers in both the House of Commons and House of Lords.

The day included sessions specifically put together by parliamentary officials for this module, focusing on how Parliament engages with the public. Sessions featured talks on the Education Centre, the outreach services, digital outreach and petitions.

Our students did us proud by asking excellent questions. Besides a very enjoyable experience, the field trip will be useful for students for their final assignment. For the majority of these students, this was the last University session of their politics degree. As one commented: “I couldn’t have picked a better way to finish a Politics degree!”