122-558: Vice chair – Christine Blower , general secretary, NUT Vice chair – Hugh Lanning, deputy general secretary, PCS Vice chair – Azad Ali Vice chair – Jennifer Moses, national official for equality and training, NASUWT Treasurer – Jane Loftus, president, CWU Joint secretary – Weyman Bennett Joint secretary – Sabby Dhalu Assistant secretary – Brian Richardson Parliamentary Officer – Peter Hain, Baron Hain European officer – Claude Moraes (former MEP) Unite Against Fascism ( UAF )
244-503: A World Heritage Site in 1987. The fabric of the building is in urgent need of restoration. In January 2018, the House of Commons voted for both houses to vacate the palace to allow for a complete refurbishment of the building, which will take at least six years and start no sooner than 2025. In September 2022, the Restoration and Renewal Client Board, a joint committee of the House of Lords and
366-440: A spire in order to balance the effect of the more massive lateral towers. The Central Tower completely failed to fulfill its stated purpose, but it remains notable as "the first occasion when mechanical services had a real influence on architectural design," withstanding certain climate-specific architectural elements such as windcatchers . Some other features of the palace of Westminster are known as towers. St Stephen's Tower
488-400: A Grade I listed building since 1970 and part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987. The building was originally constructed in the eleventh century as a royal palace and was the primary residence of the kings of England until 1512, when a fire destroyed the royal apartments. The monarch moved to the adjacent Palace of Whitehall , but the remainder of the palace continued to serve as
610-516: A UAF protest against a march organised by a group called the English Nationalist Alliance . A spokesman for the police, who were attempting to keep 250 protesters and marchers apart, said, "Unfortunately a small group from the counter-demonstration [UAF] resisted this and threw missiles at the police." There were fourteen arrests during the violence. On 2 June 2013, 58 anti-fascist demonstrators were arrested by police under Section 14 of
732-598: A break from local authority control. Blower was a Labour member until the early 1990s. In 1982 , she stood as a Labour candidate for East Putney ward on Wandsworth Council , but was not elected, with the three seats being held by the Conservative Party ; one of the winning Conservatives whom Blower stood against was future MP Christopher Chope . Speaking before the May 1997 general election , she distanced herself from Labour leader Tony Blair 's New Labour rebranding of
854-478: A central chimney through which what he called "vitiated air" would be drawn out of the building with the heat and smoke of about four hundred fires around the palace. To accommodate the tower Barry was forced to lower the high ceiling he had planned for the Central Lobby and reduce the height of its windows; however, the tower proved to be an opportunity to improve the palace's exterior design, and Barry to make it
976-544: A crack of its own, which gives it a distinctive sound. It is the third-heaviest bell in Britain, weighing 13.8 tonnes. In the lantern at the top of Elizabeth Tower is the Ayrton Light, which is lit when either House of Parliament is sitting after dark. It was installed in 1885 at the request of Queen Victoria, so that she could see from Buckingham Palace whether the members were "at work", and named after Acton Smee Ayrton , who
1098-500: A huge curriculum that ends up unbalanced because of the pressure to reach Government-imposed targets. Many feel that they cannot depart from the restrictions of the national curriculum". Under Blower's leadership, the NUT has published its proposals for alternative approaches to assessment, most recently in conjunction with the NAHT in 2009 and with ATL in 2010. A further document co-authored by
1220-494: A letter published by The Guardian newspaper. She also gave a speech at the People's Assembly Conference held at Westminster Central Hall on 22 June 2013. Blower has aligned herself to long-standing NUT criticisms of the standard assessment tests (or SATs ) in schools, including the national boycotts led by the union in 1993 and 2010. Her opposition has centred on the tests' use in the compilation of national league tables, which
1342-519: A minor head and a minor ear injury. After Bennett was charged and released, he accused the police of being hostile to anti-racists and called for an inquiry into the police's actions that day. The police, while criticising the EDL for "vitriolic name-calling" blamed people predominantly associated with UAF for provoking violence and said that they "acted with, at times, extreme violence". All charges against Bennett were eventually dropped. In response to this news he
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#17328584277731464-516: A new official residence for the Speaker of the House of Commons , completed in 1795; and significant alterations and a new building by James Wyatt , completed in 1801. The last alterations were undertaken by Sir John Soane between 1824 and 1827, and included new library facilities for both Houses of Parliament and new law courts for the Chancery and King's Bench . On 16 October 1834, a fire broke out in
1586-473: A pedestal) and holding a sceptre and a laurel crown, which show that she both governs and rules. This figure is flanked by allegorical statues of Justice and Clemency, the former with a bare sword and an inflexible expression and the latter showing sympathy and offering an olive branch. The sculptural ensemble, made of white marble and carved by John Gibson in 1855, reaches 2.44 metres (8 ft) in height; its size has long been considered out of proportion with
1708-709: A retired teacher, was secretary of Hammersmith and Fulham NUT. Her two daughters have taken the double-barrelled surname Charman-Blower. Sophie attended the University of Edinburgh , where she acted as Edinburgh spokesperson for the Stop the War coalition, whilst studying ancient civilisations of the Mediterranean and Middle East. She followed this up with an MA in human rights law at SOAS, University of London , and now works for Marie Stopes International . She attempted to be selected as
1830-551: A stonecarver. They selected Anston, a sand-coloured magnesian limestone quarried in the villages of Anston , South Yorkshire , and Mansfield Woodhouse , Nottinghamshire . Two quarries were chosen from a list of 102, with the majority of the stone coming from the former. A crucial consideration was transport, achieved on water via the Chesterfield Canal , the North Sea and the rivers Trent and Thames. Furthermore, Anston
1952-791: A style of teaching she prefers as it does not "create the sheep and goats situation that comprehensives were set up to avoid". Her daughter Sophie later attended the school. In 1980, she became Head of Modern Languages at St Edmund's Secondary School in Fulham , then Head of Department at Quintin Kynaston School in Westminster in 1983. With the threatened break up of the ILEA, Blower moved back to Hammersmith and Fulham in 1990 and concentrated on working with young teenagers at risk of care or custody at Farm Lane Adolescent Resource Centre. After its closure, she
2074-643: Is a British anti-fascist group. Its joint secretaries are Weyman Bennett and Sabby Dhalu, formerly of the National Assembly Against Racism (NAAR). Its chair is Steve Hart of Unite the Union and its assistant secretary was the late Jude Woodward of Socialist Action . Since 2013, UAF has mainly operated in partnership with its sister organisation Stand Up To Racism , which has many of the same officers as UAF: Bennett and Dhalu as joint secretaries, Diane Abbott as president and co-chairs Dave Ward of
2196-533: Is a legitimate political party and they have a right to lay down a wreath just as any other members of the public do." BNP Councillor Brian Parker added, "It's disgusting, and it's theft." On 19 August 2009, police arrested 19 protesters during a demonstration by UAF against the BNP's Red, White and Blue Festival in Codnor , Derbyshire . Four people were charged, three with public order offences and one with unlawfully obstructing
2318-458: Is also community affairs co-ordinator of the Islamic Forum of Europe , which Gilligan describes as "a Muslim supremacist group dedicated to changing 'the very infrastructure of society, its institutions, its culture, its political order and its creed from ignorance to Islam'". Nigel Copsey, Professor of Modern History at Teesside University , wrote that Ali's association with IFE made UAF "[run]
2440-527: Is beneath the Victoria Tower. It was designed for the use of the monarch, and is used by them during the State Opening of Parliament . The Sovereign's Entrance is also the formal entrance used by visiting dignitaries, as well as the starting point of public tours of the palace. From the entrance, a staircase leads up to the principal floor in a broad, unbroken flight of 26 steps made of grey granite. At
2562-463: Is but lost that build it". The East Corridor leads from the Central Lobby to the Lower Waiting Hall, and its six panels remained blank until 1910, when they were filled with scenes from Tudor history. They were all paid for by Liberal peers and each was the work of a different artist, but uniformity was achieved between the frescoes thanks to a common colour palette of red, black and gold and
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#17328584277732684-415: Is highly accurate by nineteenth-century standards, striking the hour to within a second of the time, and remaining reliable since it entered service in 1859. The time is shown on four dials 7 metres (23 ft) in diameter, which are made of milk glass and are lit from behind at night; the hour hand is 2.7 metres (8 ft 10 in) long and the minute hand 4.3 metres (14 ft). Five bells hang in
2806-452: Is in urgent need of major repairs. The site of the current palace may have been used by Cnut during his reign from 1016 to 1035, and from c. 1045 – c. 1050 Edward the Confessor built a palace and the first Westminster Abbey . The oldest surviving part of the palace is Westminster Hall, which dates from the reign of William II ( r. 1087–1100 ). The palace
2928-409: Is occupied by offices, dining rooms and bars; the first, or principal, floor houses the main rooms of the palace, including the debating chambers, the lobbies and the libraries. The top two floors are used as committee rooms and offices. Some of the interiors were designed and painted by J. G. Crace , working in collaboration with Pugin and others. For example, Crace decorated and gilded the ceiling of
3050-417: Is positioned in the middle of the west front of the palace, between Westminster Hall and Old Palace Yard, and houses the public entrance to the palace. The pavilions at the northern and southern ends of the river front are called Speaker's Tower and Chancellor's Tower respectively, after the presiding officers of the two Houses at the time of the palace's reconstruction—the Speaker of the House of Commons and
3172-711: Is the Woolsack , an armless red cushion stuffed with wool , representing the historical importance of the wool trade, and used by the officer presiding over the House (the Lord Speaker since 2006, but historically the Lord Chancellor or a deputy). The House's mace , which represents royal authority, is placed on the back of the Woolsack. In front of the Woolsack is the Judges' Woolsack, a larger red cushion that used to be occupied during
3294-612: Is the Vice Chair of the pressure group Unite Against Fascism . She was born in Surrey, part of the Home Counties . Her father was a coalminer in his younger days in the north east of England, and then a GPO engineer, as well as a Labour supporter. She grew up in Chessington and attended Ellingham County Primary School and then Tolworth Girls School , a bi-lateral school where she
3416-537: Is the floor centrepiece, a radiant Tudor rose made of Derbyshire marbles and set within an octagon of engraved brass plates. The rest of the floor is paved with encaustic tiles featuring heraldic designs and Latin mottoes. The walls are faced with white stone and each is pierced by a doorway; above the arches are displayed arms representing the six royal dynasties which ruled England until Queen Victoria's reign ( Saxon , Norman , Plantagenet , Tudor , Stuart and Hanoverian ), and between them there are windows stained with
3538-533: The Academies Act 2010 which favours schools rated "outstanding" by Ofsted . Policy introduced by Michael Gove also allows for free schools , newly founded and directly funded schools intended to fulfil a local need and with freedoms very similar to Academies. The NUT opposes Free Schools and Blower has voiced concerns that they are able to employ teaching staff without Qualified Teacher Status . Both of these types of school are outside LEA control and have
3660-618: The Battle of Waterloo in 1815). The murals deteriorated rapidly after their completion due to a range of factors, most importantly atmospheric pollution, and today they are almost monochrome, although a finished study of The Death of Nelson in better condition hangs in the Walker Art Gallery , Liverpool . The rest of the planned frescos were cancelled, and the walls are filled with portraits of kings and queens from George I onwards. Another decorative element with military undertones are
3782-902: The Communication Workers' Union and Talha Ahmad of the Muslim Council of Britain . Unite Against Fascism (UAF) was formed in Great Britain in late 2003 in response to electoral successes by the BNP . Its main elements were the Anti-Nazi League and the National Assembly Against Racism , with the support of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) and leading British unions such as the Transport and General Workers' Union (T&G) (now Unite ) and UNISON . According to Red Pepper magazine, UAF
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3904-581: The Knights of the Round Table . The ceiling itself is decorated with heraldic badges, as is the border of the wooden floor —which, as can be seen in the adjacent image, is left exposed by the carpeting. The Robing Room was briefly used as the House of Lords' meeting chamber while the House of Lords Chamber was occupied by the House of Commons, whose chamber had been destroyed by the Blitz in 1941. Immediately north of
4026-574: The Lord Chancellor . Speaker's Tower contains Speaker's House , the official residence of the Speaker of the Commons. As well as the pinnacles which rise from between the window bays along the fronts of the palace, numerous turrets enliven the building's skyline. Like the Central Tower these were built for practical reasons, as they mask ventilation shafts. There are a number of small gardens surrounding
4148-655: The Public Order Act for failing to move up the street away from a BNP demonstration outside the Houses of Parliament against what the BNP describe as Islamic "hate preachers". Of the 58, only five were charged and their cases were dismissed at Westminster Magistrates' Court in April 2014. The police had earlier banned the BNP from marching from Woolwich Barracks to the Houses of Parliament, fearing violence. In 2006, David Tate argued that
4270-672: The Royal Standard (the monarch's personal flag) when the Sovereign is present in the palace. On all other days the Union Flag flies from the mast. At the north end of the palace is the Elizabeth Tower, commonly known by the nickname "Big Ben". At 96 metres (315 ft) it is only slightly shorter than the Victoria Tower, but much slimmer. It was called the Clock Tower until 2012, when it
4392-460: The belfry above the clock. The four quarter bells strike the Westminster Chimes every quarter-hour. The largest bell strikes the hours; officially called the "Great Bell", it is generally referred to as Big Ben, a nickname of uncertain origins which, over time, has been applied to the whole tower. The original hour bell cracked during testing and was recast; the present bell later developed
4514-449: The 11th century and survived the fire of 1834, was incorporated in Barry's design. Pugin was displeased with the result of the work, especially with the symmetrical layout designed by Barry; he famously remarked, "All Grecian, sir; Tudor details on a classic body". In 1839 Charles Barry toured Britain, looking at quarries and buildings, with a committee which included two leading geologists and
4636-502: The 1910s, however, it became clear that some of the stonework had to be replaced. In 1928 it was deemed necessary to use Clipsham stone , a honey-coloured limestone from Rutland , to replace the decayed Anston. The project began in the 1930s but was halted by the outbreak of the Second World War and completed only during the 1950s. By the 1960s pollution had again begun to take its toll. A stone conservation and restoration programme to
4758-509: The 1970s". At this election, she ran for election as the party candidate in West Central and on the multi-member party list system; she was unsuccessful on both. In March 2016, ahead of her departure as general secretary of the NUT, Blower announced that she would be joining the Labour Party "led by Jeremy Corbyn , to fight for the better world we know is possible". She was shortlisted for
4880-596: The BNP and EDL but it is silent about Islamist fascists who promote anti-Semitism, homophobia , sexism and sectarian attacks on non-extremist Muslims (see also Islam and violence ). It is time the UAF campaigned against the Islamist far right as well as against the EDL and BNP far right." The journalist Andrew Gilligan has claimed that the UAF's reluctance to tackle Islamism is because several of its own members are supporters of such extremism. The UAF's vice-chairman, Azad Ali ,
5002-480: The Central Lobby is the heart of the Palace of Westminster. It lies directly below the Central Tower and forms a busy crossroads between the House of Lords to the south, the House of Commons to the north, St Stephen's Hall and the public entrance to the west, and the Lower Waiting Hall and the libraries to the east. Its location halfway between the two debating chambers has led constitutional theorist Erskine May to describe
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5124-722: The Chamber. The Sovereign, seated on the Throne, delivers the Speech from the Throne , outlining the Government's programme for the year and legislative agenda for the forthcoming parliamentary session. The Commons may not enter the Lords' debating floor; instead, they watch the proceedings from beyond the Bar of the House, just inside the door. A small purely formal ceremony is held to end each parliamentary session, when
5246-623: The Chapel of St. Mary Undercroft. The palace is a roughly rectangular building with its long axis parallel to the River Thames. The building is planned around the Central Lobby, a large hall from which corridors lead north to the Commons Chamber, south to the Lords Chamber, and west to the public entrance and Westminster Hall; to the east are committee rooms and libraries. A suite of rooms known as
5368-507: The Cloisters and eventually reaches the Members' Lobby directly south of the Commons Chamber. St Stephen's Entrance, in the approximate centre of the building's western front, is the public entrance. From it visitors walk through a flight of stairs to St Stephen's Hall, which houses a collection of marble statues of prominent parliamentarians, and then to the Central Lobby. The Sovereign's Entrance
5490-419: The Commons Chamber before every sitting of the House. The Central Lobby measures 18 metres (59 ft) across and 23 metres (75 ft) from the floor to the centre of the vaulted ceiling. The panels between the vault's ribs are covered with Venetian glass mosaic displaying floral emblems and heraldic badges, and the bosses in the intersections of the ribs are also carved into heraldic symbols. Each wall of
5612-537: The Confessor and a young Queen Victoria, a copy of a 1900 painting of Victoria by Jean-Joseph Benjamin-Constant , and busts of prime ministers who have sat in the House of Lords on the plinths intended for the statues. A double door opposite the stairs leads to the Royal Gallery, and another to the right opens to the Robing Room. The Robing Room lies at the southern end of the palace's north-south axis, and occupies
5734-560: The House of Commons or the House of Lords; the Commons adapted St Stephen's Chapel for its use in the sixteenth century, and the Lords used the Painted Chamber and, from 1801, the White Chamber . The palace underwent significant alterations from the 18th century onwards, as Parliament struggled to carry out its business in the limited available space. These included a new storage and committee rooms by John Vardy , completed in 1770;
5856-569: The House of Commons, was formed to oversee the necessary works. Charles Barry 's collaborative design for the Palace of Westminster uses the Perpendicular Gothic style, which was popular during the 15th century and returned during the Gothic revival of the 19th century. Barry was a classical architect , but he was aided by the Gothic architect Augustus Pugin . Westminster Hall, which was built in
5978-554: The House of Lords use the Peers' Entrance in the middle of the Old Palace Yard façade, which opens to an entrance hall. A staircase from there leads, through a corridor and the Prince's Chamber, to the Lords Chamber. Members of Parliament enter their part of the building from the Members' Entrance in the south side of New Palace Yard. Their route passes through a cloakroom in the lower level of
6100-453: The House. Several doors lead out of the room, to the division lobbies of the House of Lords and to a number of important offices. The theme of the Prince's Chamber is Tudor history, and 28 oil portraits painted on panels around the room depict members of the Tudor dynasty . They are the work of Richard Burchett and his pupils, and their creation entailed extensive research, which contributed to
6222-486: The King permitted Parliament to make "plans for [its] permanent accommodation". Each house created a committee and a Perpendicular Gothic Revival design by the architect Charles Barry was chosen. Barry was inexperienced with Gothic, and relied heavily on Augustus Pugin to design details. The Lords Chamber was completed in 1847, and the Commons Chamber in 1852. Although most of the work had been carried out by 1860, construction
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#17328584277736344-403: The Labour candidate for the London Assembly constituency of West Central in 2020, but was unsuccessful. London Assembly election Palace of Westminster The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is located in London , England. It is commonly called the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons and the House of Lords ,
6466-459: The Lobby as "the political centre of the British Empire", and allows a person standing under the great chandelier to see both the Royal Throne and the Speaker's Chair, provided that all the intervening doors are open. Constituents may meet their Members of Parliament here, even without an appointment, and this practice is the origin of the term lobbying . The hall is also the theatre of the Speaker's Procession, which passes from here on its way to
6588-496: The Lobby is contained in an arch ornamented with statues of English and Scottish monarchs; on four sides there are doorways, and the tympana above them are adorned with mosaics representing the patron saints of the United Kingdom's constituent nations: Saint George for England, Saint Andrew for Scotland, Saint David for Wales and Saint Patrick for Ireland. The other four arches are occupied by high windows, under which there are stone screens—the hall's post office, one of two in
6710-407: The Lord Chancellor's Breakfast; in the past it was the theatre of several trials of peers by the House of Lords. Documents from the Parliamentary Archives are on display in the Royal Gallery (including a facsimile of Charles I 's death warrant), and the tables and seating offer a workspace for members of the Lords that is conveniently close to their debating chamber. The decorative scheme of
6832-462: The NUT would also like to see abolished. Blower has referred to the tests as "high stakes", with teachers under pressure to narrow the curriculum, "skewing everything to enable their pupils to jump through a series of unnecessary hoops". Addressing the Government's position in the magazine Tribune , she wrote: "Tests do not drive up standards. They just cause additional stress for pupils, teachers and parents. Teachers are continually rushing to deliver
6954-413: The Palace of Westminster. Victoria Tower Gardens is open as a public park along the side of the river south of the palace. Black Rod's Garden (named after the office of Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod ) is closed to the public and is used as a private entrance. Old Palace Yard , in front of the palace, is paved over and covered in concrete security blocks ( see security below ). Cromwell Green (also on
7076-484: The Pendle branch of the UAF removed a wreath from a war memorial in Nelson, Lancashire , that had been laid down by Councillor Adam Grant, a veteran and BNP politician, Richard MacSween of the Pendle UAF said, "The BNP have left a wreath and we have removed it because we don't approve of fascism." In response, Labour Councillor George Adam, from the Nelson and District branch of the Royal British Legion , said, "I'm annoyed – they have no right to remove that wreath. The BNP
7198-510: The Robing Room is the Royal Gallery. At 33.5 by 13.7 metres (110 by 45 ft), it is one of the largest rooms in the palace. Its main purpose is to serve as the stage of the royal procession at State Openings of Parliament, which the audience watch from temporary tiered seating on both sides of the route. It has also been used on occasion by visiting statesmen from abroad when addressing both Houses of Parliament , as well as for receptions in honour of foreign dignitaries, and more regularly for
7320-431: The Royal Apartments are at the disposal of the reigning monarch; they lie beyond the Lords Chamber at the far south of the palace. The palace has separate entrances for its different users: the monarch, members of the House of Lords, members of Parliament and the public. The Sovereign's Entrance is at the base of the Victoria Tower in the south-west corner of the palace, and leads directly to the Royal Apartments. Members of
7442-490: The Royal Gallery on their way to deliver their speech. The Chamber of the House of Lords is located in the southern part of the Palace of Westminster. The lavishly decorated room measures 13.7 by 24.4 metres (45 by 80 ft). The benches in the Chamber, as well as other furnishings in the Lords' side of the palace, are coloured red. The upper part of the Chamber is decorated by stained glass windows and by six allegorical frescoes representing religion, chivalry and law. At
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#17328584277737564-459: The Royal Gallery was meant to display important moments in British military history, and the walls are decorated by two large paintings by Daniel Maclise , each measuring 13.7 by 3.7 metres (45 by 12 ft): The Death of Nelson (depicting Lord Nelson 's demise at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805) and The Meeting of Wellington and Blücher after the Battle of Waterloo (showing the Duke of Wellington meeting Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher at
7686-455: The Socialist Workers Party (SWP) was seeking to dominate the UAF, and a 2014 report in the New Statesman described it as a "front" for the SWP. The same criticism has been made of UAF's sister organisation Stand Up To Racism. David Toube claims that the organisations involved in the UAF avoid condemnation of antisemitism . The LGBT rights activist Peter Tatchell has accused UAF of a selective approach to bigotry : "UAF commendably opposes
7808-436: The Sovereign is merely represented by a group of Lords Commissioners . Following the Blitz, which destroyed the chamber of the House of Commons, the Lords' chamber was occupied by the Commons. The Lords temporarily used the Robing Room during the reconstruction. The State Opening Of Parliament was carried out as normal, with the new rooms being used. Evidence can still be seen of this today, with damage clearly visible on one of
7930-443: The State Opening by the Law Lords (who were members of the House of Lords), and prospectively by the Supreme Court Justices and other Judges (whether or not members), to represent the Judicial Branch of Government. The Table of the House, at which the clerks sit, is in front. Members of the House occupy red benches on three sides of the Chamber. The benches on the Lord Speaker's right form the Spiritual Side and those to his left form
8052-417: The Temporal Side. The Lords Spiritual (archbishops and bishops of the established Church of England ) all occupy the Spiritual Side. The Lords Temporal ( nobles ) sit according to party affiliation: members of the Government party sit on the Spiritual Side, while those of the Opposition sit on the Temporal Side. Some peers, who have no party affiliation, sit on the benches in the middle of the House opposite
8174-453: The United Kingdom. In 2005, the anti-fascist magazine Searchlight disaffiliated from UAF after an argument over tactics to defeat the BNP. At UAF's 2007 national conference, speakers ranged from cabinet minister Peter Hain to Edie Friedman of the Jewish Council for Racial Equality and Muhammad Abdul Bari of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), as well as figures from the major UK trade unions . At UAF's 2009 national conference, Bari
8296-437: The Woolsack; they are accordingly known as crossbenchers . The Lords Chamber is the site of nationally televised ceremonies, the most important of which is the State Opening of Parliament , which is held formally to open each annual parliamentary session, either after a General Election or in the autumn. At this occasion every constitutional element of the government is represented: the Crown (both literally, and figuratively in
8418-403: The arms of the early aristocratic families of England. Of the doorways, the one to the south—which leads into the Lords Chamber—is the most magnificent, and sports much gilding and decoration, including the full royal arms. It is enclosed by the Brass Gates, a pair of elaborately pierced and studded doors together weighing 1.5 tonnes. The side doors, which feature clocks, open into corridors: to
8540-425: The artist's death, and on the wallpapered panels flanking the Chair of State hang oil portraits of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert by Franz Xaver Winterhalter . Other decorations in the room are also inspired by the Arthurian legend, namely a series of 18 bas-reliefs beneath the paintings, carved in oak by Henry Hugh Armstead , and the frieze running below the ceiling, which displays the attributed coats of arms of
8662-443: The backdrop to the chair, embroidered by the Royal School of Needlework with the royal arms, surrounded by stars and VR monograms. Edward Barry designed both the chair—the cushion and back of which are also embroidered—and the ornate marble fireplace across the room, which features gilded statuettes of Saint George and Saint Michael . The decorative theme of the room is the legend of King Arthur , considered by many Victorians
8784-458: The backing of the Labour Party. The following day, UAF demonstrated at the BNP's next attempt to hold a press conference at a pub in Miles Platting, North Manchester . They chanted anti-fascist slogans and tried to drown out Griffin by playing Bob Marley songs at high volume. One protester was arrested after spitting in the direction of a car belonging to a BNP member. In January 2010, when
8906-542: The centre of the south front, overlooking Victoria Tower Gardens . It is where the Sovereign prepares for the State Opening of Parliament by changing into their official robes and putting on the Imperial State Crown . The focus of the room is the chair of state, which sits on a dais of three steps under a canopy adorned with the arms and floral emblems of England, Scotland and Ireland. A panel of purple velvet forms
9028-476: The chamber of the House of Lords until their destruction in the 1834 fire and depicted the defeat of the Spanish Armada in 1588. The project was put on hold in 1861 (by which time only one painting had been completed), and was not revived until 2007; as of August 2010 , all six paintings are now in their intended places. The room also contains a statue of Queen Victoria, seated on a throne (itself placed on
9150-465: The deaths of Barry and his assistant, Augustus Pugin . The palace contains chambers for the House of Commons, House of Lords, and the monarch , and has a floor area of 112,476 m (1,210,680 sq ft). Extensive repairs had to be made after the Second World War , including rebuilding the destroyed Commons chamber. Despite further conservation work having been carried out since, the palace
9272-438: The doors where they were struck by Black Rod. Directly north of the Lords Chamber lies the Peers' Lobby, an antechamber where Lords can informally discuss or negotiate matters during sittings of the House, as well as collect messages from the doorkeepers , who control access to the Chamber. The Lobby is a square room measuring 12 metres (39 ft) on each side and 10 metres (33 ft) in height, and one of its main features
9394-600: The east extends the Law Lords Corridor, which leads to the libraries, and nearby to the west lies the Moses Room, used for Grand Committees. To the north is the vaulted Peers' Corridor, which is decorated with eight murals by Charles West Cope depicting historical scenes from the period around the English Civil War . The frescoes were executed between 1856 and 1866, and each scene was "specifically chosen to depict
9516-560: The eight statues of gilded Caen stone that flank the three doorways and the bay window of the Gallery, sculpted by John Birnie Philip . Each depicts a monarch during whose reign a key battle or war took place. They are: Alfred the Great and William the Conqueror ; Richard I and Edward III ; Henry V and Elizabeth I ; William III and Anne . The panelled ceiling, 13.7 metres (45 ft) above
9638-424: The external elevations and towers began in 1981 and ended in 1994. The Palace of Westminster has three main towers. The largest and tallest is the 98.5-metre (323 ft) Victoria Tower, which occupies the south-western corner of the palace. The tower was an integral part of Barry's original design, and he intended it to be the most memorable element, conceiving it as the keep of a legislative "castle". The tower
9760-437: The fittings of the Prince's Chamber, and the flanking statues ended up in storage between 1955 and 1976. However, the size and location of the group, in the archway opposite the doors to the Royal Gallery (which are removed before State Openings of Parliament to facilitate the royal procession), indicate that it was meant to be seen from a distance, and to symbolically remind the monarch of their royal duties as they would walk down
9882-574: The floor, features Tudor roses and lions, and the stained-glass windows show the coats of arms of the Kings of England and Scotland. The Prince's Chamber is a small anteroom between the Royal Gallery and the Lords Chamber, named after the room adjoining the Parliament Chamber in the Old Palace of Westminster. Thanks to its location, it is a place where members of the Lords meet to discuss business of
10004-588: The founding of the National Portrait Gallery in 1856. 12 bronze bas-reliefs are set into the wall below the portraits, executed by William Theed in 1855–1857. Scenes included are The Field of the Cloth of Gold , The Escape of Mary, Queen of Scots and Raleigh Spreading His Cloak As a Carpet for the Queen . Above the portraits, at window level, are copies of six of the ten Armada tapestries , which hung in
10126-527: The frontage, and in 2006 enclosed by hoardings for the construction of a new visitor centre), New Palace Yard (on the north side) and Speaker's Green (directly north of the palace) are all private and closed to the public. College Green , opposite the House of Lords, is a small triangular green commonly used for television interviews with politicians. The Palace of Westminster contains over 1,100 rooms, 100 staircases and 4.8 kilometres (3 mi) of passageways, which are spread over four floors. The ground floor
10248-399: The group with placards, chanting anti-Nazi slogans, and threw eggs at Griffin, forcing the abandonment of the press conference. Members of the press were also hit. The protesters also kicked Griffin's car and beat it with placards as he was led away from the scene. Two members of the public were hospitalised as a result of the demonstration . Griffin claimed that the attack was carried out with
10370-550: The highway. On 22 October 2009, the UAF demonstration against Nick Griffin's appearance on the BBC's Question Time programme resulted in injuries to three police officers. UAF national officer and (then) SWP National Secretary Martin Smith was found guilty of assaulting one of the police officers at South Western Magistrates' Court, London, on 7 September 2010. He was sentenced to a 12-month community order, with 80 hours' unpaid work, and
10492-521: The home of the Parliament of England , which had met there since the 13th century. In 1834 a second, larger fire destroyed the majority of the palace, but Westminster Hall was saved and incorporated into the replacement building. The competition to design the new palace was won by the architect Charles Barry , who chose a Gothic Revival style for the building. Construction started in 1840 and lasted for 30 years, suffering delays, cost overruns, and
10614-403: The only other parts of the palace to survive. William IV offered the almost-completed Buckingham Palace to Parliament, hoping to dispose of a residence he disliked; however, the building was considered unsuitable for parliamentary use and the gift was rejected. The Painted Chamber and White Chamber were hastily repaired for temporary use, and in 1835, following that year's General Election,
10736-495: The palace after an overheated stove used to destroy the Exchequer 's stockpile of tally sticks set fire to the House of Lords Chamber. Both Houses of Parliament were destroyed, along with most of the other buildings in the palace complex. Westminster Hall was saved thanks to fire-fighting efforts and a change in the direction of the wind. The Jewel Tower and the undercroft , cloisters , and chapter house of St Stephen's Chapel were
10858-423: The palace took at least twelve hits and three people (two policemen and Resident Superintendent of the House of Lords, Edward Elliott ) were killed. The Commons Chamber and the roof of Westminster Hall were both set alight; as the firefighters could not save both, the hall was prioritised and saved, while the chamber was destroyed. The Lords Chamber and Clock Tower were damaged in the same raid. The Commons Chamber
10980-512: The palace, is located behind one of these screens. In front of them stand four bigger-than-life statues of 19th-century statesmen, including one of four-time prime minister William Gladstone . The floor on which they stand is tiled with Minton encaustic tiles in intricate patterns and includes a passage from Psalm 127 written in Latin, which translates as follows: "Except the Lord build the House their labour
11102-560: The party. Two years later, she told a journalist that she was "to the left of old Labour" and confirmed that she had no affiliation to any political party or group. However, in 2000, she was a member of the London Socialist Alliance , ahead of the Greater London Assembly Elections . She said at the time that it "was formed to prevent disillusionment with Labour giving a new birth to the far right as it did in
11224-614: The person of the Sovereign), The Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and The Commons, (who together form the Legislature), the Judiciary (although no judges are members of either House of Parliament), and the Executive (both Government Ministers , and ceremonial military units in attendance on the Sovereign); and a large number of guests are invited to attend in the large Royal Gallery immediately outside
11346-585: The post of Labour's general secretary in 2018, but the role instead went to her opponent, fellow trade unionist Jennie Formby . Blower was nominated for a life peerage in the 2019 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours . She was created Baroness Blower , of Starch Green in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham , on 15 October 2019. As a Labour peer, she has sat in the House of Lords since 4 November 2019. Her partner of thirty seven years, Dennis Charman,
11468-523: The potential to make Collective bargaining more difficult. Blower has disputed the success of the Swedish system as well as American charter schools, both regularly cited by Michael Gove as exemplars of narrowing the social divide. In a cover story for The Spectator magazine in August 2010, it was claimed that NUT activists were "bullying" head teachers known to be considering academy conversion and, with it,
11590-476: The press, but defending herself, Blower argued that "[Sophie] did something considerably more useful with her time than if she'd been at school during the tests". This element of her speech was portrayed by some as an example of hard left militancy. The NUT under Blower's leadership has been a vocal critic of the Academies programme , both in its original New Labour model through to the expansions brought about by
11712-626: The risk of turning a blind eye to Islamist extremism ". Ali was suspended as a civil servant in the Treasury after he wrote approvingly on his blog of an Islamic militant who said that as a Muslim he is religiously obliged to kill British soldiers in Iraq , in 2009. According to Gilligan, Michael Adebolajo, one of the murderers of Lee Rigby in 2013, spoke "on the margins" of a 2009 UAF demonstration in Harrow. Secretary Weyman Bennett responded by saying that Adebolajo
11834-431: The source of their nationhood. Five frescoes painted by William Dyce between 1848 and 1864 cover the walls, depicting allegorical scenes from the legend. Each scene represents a chivalric virtue; the largest, between the two doors, is titled Admission of Sir Tristram to the Round Table and illustrates the virtue of Hospitality. Seven were originally commissioned but the remaining two paintings were not carried out due to
11956-454: The south end of the Chamber are the ornate gold Canopy and Throne; although the Sovereign may theoretically occupy the Throne during any sitting, he or she attends only the State Opening of Parliament. Other members of the Royal Family who attend the State Opening use Chairs of State next to the Throne, and peers' sons are always entitled to sit on the steps of the Throne. In front of the Throne
12078-719: The struggles through which national liberties were won". Examples include Speaker Lenthall Asserting the Privileges of the Commons Against Charles ;I when the Attempt was Made to Seize the Five Members , representing resistance against absolute rule, and The Embarkation of the Pilgrim Fathers for New England , which illustrates the principle of freedom of worship. Originally named "Octagon Hall" because of its shape,
12200-456: The sudden death of Sinnott while in post, she became acting general secretary on 5 April 2008, and led the union's first national strike in two decades – over teachers' pay – a fortnight later. On 5 May 2009, she was elected unopposed as the first woman general secretary of the NUT. In February 2013, in line with the NUT, Blower was among those who gave their support to the People's Assembly in
12322-542: The support of organisations representing labour, teachers, and rights activists. In November 2007, UAF organised a rally of over 1,000 people when BNP leader Nick Griffin and Holocaust denier David Irving spoke at the Oxford Union . On 9 June 2009, UAF demonstrated against a BNP press conference given by Griffin and Andrew Brons outside the Palace of Westminster following their election as MEPs. Demonstrators marched towards
12444-523: The three unions was published in December 2010. In her presidential address to NUT Conference on 29 March 1997, Blower reported that in the previous year her daughter Sophie had been withdrawn from the Key Stage 2 tests. She told delegates, "As a parent and a teacher, I will continue to support campaigns to rid education of blanket testing of our children." There was much criticism of this 'direct action' in
12566-513: The top is the Norman Porch, a square landing with a central clustered column and a ceiling of four groin vaults with lierne ribs and carved bosses . The porch was named for its proposed decorative scheme, which was never completed but would have consisted of statues of the Norman kings and frescoes depicting Norman history . As completed, the porch contains stained glass windows depicting Edward
12688-472: The tower houses the Parliamentary Archives in 8.8 kilometres (5.5 mi) of steel shelves spread over 12 floors. The archives include the master copies of all Acts of Parliament since 1497 and important manuscripts such as the original Bill of Rights and the death warrant of King Charles I . At the top of the cast-iron pyramidal roof is a 22 m (72 ft) flagstaff, from which flies
12810-663: The two legislative chambers which occupy the building. The palace is one of the centres of political life in the United Kingdom ; "Westminster" has become a metonym for the UK Parliament and the British Government , and the Westminster system of government commemorates the name of the palace. The Elizabeth Tower of the palace, nicknamed Big Ben , is a landmark of London and the United Kingdom in general. The palace has been
12932-566: The two houses of Parliament and various courts of law. The predecessor of Parliament, the Curia Regis , met in Westminster Hall when the king was in residence. The " Model Parliament ", considered the first Parliament of England, met at the palace in 1295; while medieval parliaments of England met in a variety of locations, the palace was frequently used and developed into the body's permanent home. The palace did not have dedicated chambers for
13054-402: Was First Commissioner of Works in the 1870s. The shortest of the palace's three principal towers (at 91 metres (299 ft) ), the octagonal Central Tower stands over the middle of the building, immediately above the Central Lobby. It was added to the plans on the insistence of Dr. David Boswell Reid , who was in charge of the ventilation of the new Houses of Parliament: his plan called for
13176-421: Was a critic of grammar schools , SATs and the schools regulator. Of the latter, she argued that "much of what people have to do for Ofsted is an utter waste of time". Blower failed in her bid to be elected as general secretary in 1999, with incumbent Doug McAvoy re-elected with a 17,000 majority. She was later elected Deputy general secretary on 28 January 2005 under his successor Steve Sinnott . After
13298-494: Was again a guest speaker. UAF has worked closely with Love Music Hate Racism , described by UAF/SWP's Weyman Bennett as "the cultural wing of our movement". Unite Against Fascism states on its website that its aim is to deny the British National Party (BNP) any chance of "gaining an electoral foothold" stating that "there is a real danger that the BNP could get a significant platform in elected institutions". It claims
13420-443: Was cheaper, and "could be supplied in blocks up to four feet thick and lent itself to elaborate carving". Barry's new Palace of Westminster was rebuilt using the sandy-coloured Anston limestone. However the stone soon began to decay owing to pollution and the poor quality of some of the stone used. Although such defects were clear as early as 1849, nothing was done for the remainder of the 19th century even after much studying. During
13542-545: Was educated in the grammar stream. Having contemplated a career in law or probation work, she instead trained as a teacher. In 1973, she took her first teaching post, at Holland Park School , a comprehensive in Kensington and Chelsea which was then part of the Inner London Education Authority , where she taught French. At the time, the school had changed from streamed teaching to mixed-ability teaching,
13664-463: Was elected to the National Executive of the NUT between 1992 and 2000. Other positions include national vice-president in 1996 and then the 125th national president of the NUT from 28 March 1997 to 10 April 1998, succeeding Carole Regan. Blower used this platform to argue for a greater role for teachers in the running of Pupil Referral Units and for "properly resourced nursery provision". She
13786-523: Was fined £450 pending an appeal. On 20 March 2010, demonstrations from UAF and the English Defence League (EDL) in Bolton led to violent confrontations and the arrest of at least 55 UAF supporters, including the UAF protest organiser Weyman Bennett, on suspicion of conspiracy to commit violent disorder . At least three EDL supporters were also arrested, and two UAF members were taken to hospital with
13908-548: Was not an official speaker. Christine Blower Christine Blower, Baroness Blower (born 20 April 1951) is a British schoolteacher and trade unionist who served as the eleventh General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers , a trade union representing qualified teachers across England and Wales. In March 2018, she stood for election and was shortlisted for the position of the Labour Party 's General Secretary . She
14030-484: Was not finished until a decade afterwards. During the Second World War the palace was hit by bombs on fourteen separate occasions. A bomb that fell on 26 September 1940 lifted the statue of Richard the Lionheart from its pedestal and bent its sword, an image that was used as a symbol of the strength of democracy, "which would bend but not break under attack". The worst raid took place in the night of 10–11 May 1941, when
14152-500: Was quoted as saying, "This is a victory for anti-fascists and for the right to protest. I'm proud to say that the threat of these charges has not deterred any of us from continuing to stand up against the EDL. I can now continue my work without this serious false allegation hanging over me. It is imperative we continue to protest to protect our multi-racial communities." On 30 August 2010, violence occurred in Brighton , East Sussex , during
14274-437: Was rebuilt in a simplified style after the war, being completed in 1950. As the need for office space in the palace increased, Parliament acquired office space in the nearby Norman Shaw Building in 1975 and in the custom-built Portcullis House , completed in 2000. This increase has enabled all Members of Parliament (MP) to have their own office facilities. The palace was designated a Grade I listed building in 1970 and
14396-485: Was redeployed as a member of the local authority's Behaviour Support Team. As she explained in 1997, "The brief of the team is to try and deal with the behaviour in order to calm the children down, get them focussed in on tasks so they can stay in the mainstream". Blower joined the NUT at the start of her teaching career. Between 1986 and 2004 she held various posts in the West London association, including Secretary. She
14518-481: Was redesigned several times, and its height increased progressively; upon its completion in 1858 it was the tallest secular building in the world. At base of the tower is the Sovereign's Entrance, used by the monarch whenever entering the palace to open Parliament or for other state occasions. The 15 m (49 ft) high archway is richly decorated with sculptures, including statues of Saints George , Andrew and Patrick , and Queen Victoria . The main body of
14640-527: Was renamed to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Elizabeth II . The Clock Tower was designed by Augustus Pugin and built after his death. Charles Barry asked Pugin to design the clock tower because Pugin had previously helped Barry design the palace. The tower houses the Great Clock, which uses the original mechanism built by Edward John Dent to designs by amateur horologist Edmund Beckett Denison . It
14762-840: Was set up by the Socialist Workers Party and the National Assembly Against Racism. Among the union leaders backing UAF were Billy Hayes of the Communication Workers Union , Andy Gilchrist and Mick Shaw of the Fire Brigades Union , Mark Serwotka of the PCS public service workers' union, and Christine Blower and Kevin Courtney of the NUT . Founding signatories included David Cameron , later Prime Minister of
14884-463: Was the principal residence of the English monarchs in the late Medieval period. In 1512, during the early reign of Henry VIII , a fire destroyed the royal apartments of the palace. In 1534 Henry moved to the neighbouring Palace of Whitehall , formerly York Place , which he had seized from Cardinal Thomas Wolsey . Although Westminster remained a royal palace, from this point on its primary occupants were
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