I’ve been drafted in (er, volunteered) to help out on the communications front with Rail North. I’m still not entirely sure what either of us expects from the other, and I’m sure they haven’t realised that I don’t do what the last guy did on lobbying and public affairs.
But a couple of information sessions had been set up at Westminster for today, which meant I got to the Houses of Parliament for the first time. Ever.
It’s strange once you passed through security. I had no idea where I was going, ended up in Westminster Hall by following other people and had to ask for directions to the Central Lobby, where I met the person I was meeting. The Central Lobby is the bit you see on television when they interview politicians after PMQs and similar. And although PMQs were on today I didn’t manage to get myself in the background of any interviews – I was having lunch after helping move our displays from the Committee Room were in to the next one. Committee rooms are so busy that you don’t get more than five minutes before or after your session, normally – woe betide anyone who overruns!
Our second – lightly-attended – session followed PMQs, in one of the rooms off Westminster Hall. Then it was all over, bar the obligatory photo!