Your guide to London's culture and transport news and events taking place across the city.

Your guide to London's culture and transport news and events taking place across the city.

Houses of Parliament

Latest news, articles and photos

Houses of Parliament - Latest news, articles and photos

Home to the UK’s politicians, the Victorian gothic masterpiece is open for public tours through most of the year, and occasional special interest tours are announced.

If you live in the UK, you can also contact your MP for a free political tour instead of paying for the tours designed for tourists.

Tickets Alert: Evening tours of the Houses of Parliament
Tickets Alert: Evening tours of the Houses of Parliament

Tickets Alert: Evening tours of the Houses of Parliament

For one evening only, you will be able to visit the Houses of Parliament to look around the inside of the Palace of Westminster at night.

Feb
15
Tickets Alert: Tours of Parliament’s Speaker’s House
Tickets Alert: Tours of Parliament’s Speaker’s House

Tickets Alert: Tours of Parliament’s Speaker’s House

The now semi-regular opportunity to see inside the richly decorated Speakers House within the Houses of Parliament is returning and will run through most of the summer.

Jan
31
Tickets Alert: Tours of Big Ben go on sale next week
Tickets Alert: Tours of Big Ben go on sale next week

Tickets Alert: Tours of Big Ben go on sale next week

Tickets to climb the very many steps to the top of the Elizabeth Tower and stand next to Big Ben when it bongs the hours will go on sale next week.

Jun
07
2023
Tickets Alert: Tours of the Speaker’s House inside Parliament
Tickets Alert: Tours of the Speaker’s House inside Parliament

Tickets Alert: Tours of the Speaker’s House inside Parliament

The now semi-regular opportunity to see inside the richly decorated Speakers House within the Houses of Parliament is returning, and will be running through most of the summer.

May
04
2023
200 year old fish found under the House of Lords
200 year old fish found under the House of Lords

200 year old fish found under the House of Lords

During surveys to prepare for the restoration of the Palace of Westminster, a 200-year old carved bone in the shape of a fish was discovered.

Apr
11
2023
Parliament to offer public tours of Big Ben next month
Parliament to offer public tours of Big Ben next month

Parliament to offer public tours of Big Ben next month

It's now possible to climb to the top of the Elizabeth Tower and stand in ear-banging distance of Big Ben as it bongs the hours.

Mar
21
2023
Tickets Alert: Tours of Speaker’s House inside the Houses of Parliament
Tickets Alert: Tours of Speaker’s House inside the Houses of Parliament

Tickets Alert: Tours of Speaker’s House inside the Houses of Parliament

Last year, the first-ever public tours of the richly decorated Speakers House inside Parliament took place, and they’re running them again for a few days in April.

Jan
26
2023
Medieval river wall may have been found underneath Parliament
Medieval river wall may have been found underneath Parliament

Medieval river wall may have been found underneath Parliament

What could be the remains of an original riverside medieval wall may have been discovered underneath the Houses of Parliament.

Nov
24
2022
The Queue: Eight hours to see the Queen
The Queue: Eight hours to see the Queen

The Queue: Eight hours to see the Queen

It has become known simply as The Queue, the queue that runs for miles so that people can walk past the Queen's coffin inside Westminster Hall.

Sep
15
2022
London’s Pocket Parks: Abingdon Green, SW1
London’s Pocket Parks: Abingdon Green, SW1

London’s Pocket Parks: Abingdon Green, SW1

This is probably one of the most famous parks in London that you didn't know the name of, as it's where journalists interview politicians when standing outside Parliament.

Jul
19
2022
Tickets Alert: State apartment tours of Parliament’s Speaker’s House
Tickets Alert: State apartment tours of Parliament’s Speaker’s House

Tickets Alert: State apartment tours of Parliament’s Speaker’s House

Earlier this year, the first-ever public tours of the opulent Speakers House inside Parliament took place, and they're running more from the end of September.

Jul
14
2022
By law, Easter was supposed to be last weekend
By law, Easter was supposed to be last weekend

By law, Easter was supposed to be last weekend

This weekend is Easter, but it was supposed to have happened last weekend if a law from 1928 -- that fixed the date of Easter -- were to be enforced.

Apr
14
2022
Tickets Alert: State Apartments tours in Parliament’s Speaker’s House
Tickets Alert: State Apartments tours in Parliament’s Speaker’s House

Tickets Alert: State Apartments tours in Parliament’s Speaker’s House

For the first time ever, Parliament's State Apartments inside Speaker's House are to be opened to the public in a short series of guided tours.

Feb
24
2022
Free tours of Parliament
Free tours of Parliament

Free tours of Parliament

Tours of the Houses of Parliament have resumed, with both the paid option for tourist tours, but also a free tour that's only offered to Brits.

Sep
20
2021
Tickets Alert: Online guided tours of the Houses of Parliament
Tickets Alert: Online guided tours of the Houses of Parliament

Tickets Alert: Online guided tours of the Houses of Parliament

As in-person guided tours of Parliament are rather difficult at the moment, they are offering a regular series of online tours instead.

Sep
04
2020

Is HP Sauce really named after the Houses of Parliament?

There's a rather famous brown condiment, HP Sauce, which features a rather famous building, coincidentally called the Houses of Parliament, but is one named after the other?

Mar
24
2020
Dine inside the House of Commons this Easter
Dine inside the House of Commons this Easter

Dine inside the House of Commons this Easter

For a few days next month, it will be possible for ordinary folk to go into Parliament and have lunch in the dining halls of our political masters.

Mar
05
2020
Tickets Alert: Winter fair inside Parliament
Tickets Alert: Winter fair inside Parliament

Tickets Alert: Winter fair inside Parliament

There will be a winter fair inside the Houses of Parliament next week, with the Houses of Commons and Lords also open to visit.

Nov
29
2019
Dine like an MP in the Houses of Parliament
Dine like an MP in the Houses of Parliament

Dine like an MP in the Houses of Parliament

As the MPs are away, Parliament is letting the mere electorate in to have lunch or dinner in the Members' Dinning Room.

Nov
18
2019
The daftest image of Big Ben you will ever see
The daftest image of Big Ben you will ever see

The daftest image of Big Ben you will ever see

A PR person contacted me on behalf of a money website with one of the daftest images I have seen in a long time.

May
16
2019
Tickets Alert: Pink Parliament Peregrinations
Tickets Alert: Pink Parliament Peregrinations

Tickets Alert: Pink Parliament Peregrinations

Visits to Parliament are going queer next month, with two special gay-themed guided tours being offered.

Jan
11
2019
Tickets Alert: Dine like a politician in Parliament
Tickets Alert: Dine like a politician in Parliament

Tickets Alert: Dine like a politician in Parliament

For a few days next month, it will be possible for ordinary folk to go into Parliament and have lunch in the dining halls of our political masters.

Jan
04
2019
150th anniversary of the first traffic lights
150th anniversary of the first traffic lights

150th anniversary of the first traffic lights

This week, or next, depending on which date you care to choose marks the 150th anniversary of the world's first purpose built traffic light.

Dec
09
2018

Tickets Alert: Tours of the House of Commons Library

To mark 200 years since the House of Commons Library appointed its first Librarian, and to celebrate Libraries Week, the Library is open for tours again on Saturday 13 October.

Sep
03
2018