cumbrian visitors to westminster

Rory took time out from his busy parliamentary schedule to welcome some special visitors to Westminster last week. He was joined on Tuesday by local schoolgirls Ellie and Amy Morton, both of whom attend Plumpton School and who had been invited to the House of Commons by Rory after Ellie successfully won the MP’s inaugural Christmas card competition last year. The two girls, accompanied by their mother Yvonne and friend Carole, went on a tour of the Houses of Parliament and then had lunch with Rory on the River Terrace.

Ellie said: “The tour was really good, and the chocolate pudding. I can’t believe how big the London Eye looks from here, though Big Ben is my favourite thing about Parliament”.

On Wednesday, Rory met with Penrith resident Roland Bateman, accompanied by local journalist Carl Fallowfield, who was escorted by Rory to No 10 Downing Street. It was Roland’s first visit to the capital and he had been wanting to visit parliament and 10 Downing Street for many years. Roland and Carl had a tour of the Houses of Parliament followed by lunch with Rory, where they talked about London and Penrith and also discussed some of Roland’s questions about the benefits system and the welfare state. Roland charmed many of the people in the House of Commons and even suggested that there be a visitor’s book in Central Lobby – an idea that seemed immediately popular to the Central Lobby receptionists who are going to look at the feasibility of such a project.