The Houses of Parliament: One murder, a plot and traditions galore

The Houses of Parliament consists of two chambers, the House of Lords and the House of Commons. The proper name for the 'Mother of all Parliaments' is the new Palace of Westminster. Some of the incidents and traditions associated with the Houses of Parliament are outlined below.

Visitors to London can discover more about the new Palace of Westminster and the pomp and ceremony associated with royal and monumental London with the Palace Trail walking tour.

The only British Prime Minister to be assassinated during their time in Office was shot as he entered the Lobby of the House of Commons in 1812. Spencer Perceval was shot by John Bellingham, a deranged merchant who blamed his insolvency on the Government. Bellingham was later hanged.

Conspirators who plotted to blow up the Houses of Parliament met a similar end to Bellingham. The Gunpowder Plot is the most famous plot involving the Houses of Parliament. Acting on a tip off, on the night of 4 November, 1605, a search party discovered in the cellars, beneath the House of Lords, 36 barrels of gunpowder and one of the plot's conspirators, Guy Fawkes. The King, James I, was due to open Parliament the following day. Guy Fawkes and the other members of the Gunpowder Plot were tried in Westminster Hall in 1606 and were later beheaded.

There have further non-life threatening attempts for members of the public to protest against various policies being pursued by the Government of the day.

One of the highlights of the polictial calender in the UK is provided when the Monarch of the day performs the State Opening of Parliament. Tradition dictates that the Monarch does not step foot in the House of Commons. This tradition developed after King Charles I entered the Lower House in 1642 with a group of armed men to arrest five MPs (John Pym, John Hampden, Sir Arthur Haselrig, Denzill Holles and William Strode).

The five MPs had been forewarned and managed to escape. The King was quoted as saying "I see all the birds are flown".

Instead the Members of Parliament in the Lower House are summoned to the Upper House by an official known as the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod. Traditionally the doors to the Lower Chamber are slammed shut in the face of the Gentleman Usher - symbolising the right of the House of Commons to debate without outside interference. The Gentleman Usher knocks on the door three times with the Black Rod, before the doors to the Commons are opened. The Gentleman Usher then informs the Lower House that the Monarch awaits them. The MPs then proceed to the House of Lords, where they hear the Queen's Speech.

The Palace Trail sightseeing tour is available in English, French, German and Spanish like the other four Walk Talk Tour London travel guides. To hear an audio sample from the Palace Trail please click here.

The top image was retrieved from the Daily Mail online edition from January 30, 2008.