Beverley and Holderness residents witness democracy in action on Westminster visit
Posted by Graham Stuart, MP for Beverley and Holderness, at 14:48, Wed 26 April 2006:
People from the East Riding witnessed democracy in action yesterday after travelling to London to visit the Houses of Parliament. Twenty Beverley and Holderness residents who had accepted an invitation to visit by local MP, Graham Stuart, were given a tour of the Palace of Westminster. This included trips to both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, Westminster Hall, Central Lobby and the Royal Gallery. They also attended a debate in the House of Commons and spoke with Graham about his experiences of being a local MP.
Graham, who hopes that the trip will be the first of many to Westminster, said, "I was delighted that so many of my constituents were able to travel down to London and gain an insight into the workings of Parliament.
"I wanted the group to learn more about how the country is run and to connect what is happening locally to the national picture. I also wanted them to know that they are not powerless to bring about change. Politicians do not live on a different planet. I am answerable to my constituents and they can demand action of me. They really can influence decision-making and make a difference.
"Yesterday was a great success. My constituents seemed genuinely interested in the Palace of Westminster and the extraordinary history behind it. We had a good discussion about a number of local issues such as the threat to community hospitals and the proposed waste incinerator at Saltend and also a number of national issues such as the burden of university debt on younger people and the quality of care provided to older people.
"It was a great occasion and I am hopeful that as many of my constituents as possible will in future choose to join me in Westminster for a tour and a chance to tell me their views."
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