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More tea Minister?

On Thursday 7th March, I travelled down to London to shadow Andrew Mitchell for Independent Women's Day 2013.

I was up at 5am and got to London at 9:45, then caught the tube to Westminster, where I arrived at Portcullis House. Here I met Isabella, one of Andrew's interns. She took me for a tour around Portcullis House and then to Andrew's office. We met briefly and he wished me a nice day. Isabella then took me to the MPs Assistant's office where I met his 2 other assistants, Hugh and Sarah. They were all very friendly and welcomed me throughout the day.

Isabella then took me back to the lobby of Portcullis House where me and 4 other girls, shadowing different MPs and from all over the country, walked to Downing Street. We went through airport-type security and some very chirpy police officers assisted us. We then went through the famous black door and had a tour of number 10 Downing Street. (This was a complete surprise as I had no clue this was going to happen until 5 minutes before we left Portcullis House!) We entered into a large room where the rest of the group, about 35 others, were waiting. MP Mary Macleod, who organised the day, talked to us about women in politics and wished us a good experience. We first went into the Cabinet Room, where the Queen had entered not long before Christmas, and was the first Monarch to enter for about 300 years.
Here we heard quirky stories from our guides. Some of these included how everything stays the same after a prime minister has been in power - Winston Churchill didn't like the chimes of a grandfather clock in the hallway so had them turned off, and they have never been turned on since! We then went up the stairs where every past prime ministers' portraits hung, as we climbed they seemed to be watching us. At the top of the stairs we were allowed to investigate most of this floor, we went in all of the state rooms, the White Room where the PM had entertained Obama and Nelson Mandela, to mention a few! (I sat in the chair where both of them had), we went into the Terracotta Room and a large entertainment room, where there were £1,000,000 worth sofas!!

We then finished the tour and walked back to Portcullis House, Hugh took me on a tour of the Palace of Westminster, including St Michael's Hall. It was the most fantastic stone room with statues of past Kings that had been found at the bottom of the Thames. He also showed me the terrace that looked onto the Thames, from which you got a great view of London. After we got back to the office it was around lunch time and so me, Sarah and Hugh went for lunch in one of the many cafeterias in Portcullis House. It was great to get to know them and ask how their day to day life varied and how they had got a job working for Andrew. After this, Hugh took me to the Strangers' Gallery in the House of Commons, where I over looked MPs debating the Justice bill in the Debating Chamber. It was brilliant to see how the debate took shape and how each MP noticed a minute detail to dispute - for example, one MP wanted the word "voluntarily" taking out the bill!

I returned to Andrew's office for another interesting chat, following which Hugh and I joined Sarah to help her research the charity dinner that Andrew was attending that evening.

We left for afternoon tea on the terrace; there were some beautiful cakes to eat and it was nice to mingle with all of the girls again. Many MPs couldn't be there, but those who could were enjoying the wonderful refreshments whilst conversing with each other. There was a further opportunity for group photos before I finally departed for a long journey back to the midlands. I arrived home at 8:30pm tired, but having enjoyed a very memorable day, and I'd like to thank everyone who organised it and staff at school for allowing me to such a wonderful opportunity!

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