Recently Somerset Member of Youth Parliament, Emma Brown visited the Houses of Parliament in London. It was an eye-opening experience.

I was very Lucky to have had the chance to have a tour around the Houses of Parliament while Youth Parliament was in recess, a place that I hope to visit with my fellow Somerset Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs) soon. I experienced the essence of what it means to be part of a democratic society; the red and green seats show a history of England that dates back hundreds of years.

The walls are covered with art expressing scenes of battles and miracles; gold covered walls and ceilings outlining the corridors where Prime Ministers and Royality have walked. Around the Houses, there were also glimpses of modern art, a nod to the changes in society, allowing people to express their feelings through many different mediums. I was able to walk through the seats of the House of Commons and feel what it’s like, viewing gallery staring, microphones on. We were also shown to the corridors behind where Members of Parliament go to vote; walls lined with books created an arch over us as we continued.

With the recent turmoil regarding the changing government and general election, many young people are left wondering what is to happen in the future. As I was walking around, I was thinking of all the work done in these rooms that has benefitted young people across our country. With our annual conference happening soon, I was also constantly thinking of all the work that still needs to be done. We are the future; we must be supported in society in every positive way.

At Youth Parliament, it is our job to represent the young people around the UK. We must all petition for change constantly and ensure we, as young people, see the changes that we want to see.

After finishing my tour of the houses of parliament, I was left thinking how lucky we are to live where democracy is prevalent, but also how much needs to be done for young people across the UK. Change for young people is constant, we need to always be on the governments agenda to ensure we see the change that we want to see.

Emma

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