At the end of last year, Lower Sixth Former Millan Verwoert, who is studying A-Level Politics, emailed Bedford MP Mohammed Yasin to ask if he could shadow him working in Westminster for a day. Mr Yasin, who is always keen to welcome constituents to Parliament, asked Millan for his CV and for a letter to explain why he wished to do this. Mr Yasin was only too happy to agree, and a date was arranged.
On the day of the visit, Millan caught an early commuter train into London where he met Mr Yasin and his aids in Westminster Hall. He explained:
“The day began with a full tour of the Houses of Parliament, which provided insight into the lives of MPs, whip, and civil servants, and an invaluable description of the role of the Speaker of the House. Understanding the history of the chambers themselves and some ceremonial aspects of Parliament allowed me to appreciate how the version of British politics we see today came to be. Then, we attended Prime Minister’s Questions, and I immediately understood the atmosphere and theatrics surrounding it. It’s a surreal experience to sit amongst senior civil servants, watching something that will be broadcast to the nation and talked about in depth in the press unfold before your eyes.
Following this, I had afternoon tea with Mr Yasin in the Pugin Room, where we spoke about predictions for international elections this year, thoughts on Rory Stewart’s new book amongst other wide-ranging topics. Then, I attended a select committee meeting on the persecution of Hazara in Afghanistan under the Taliban. It featured several MPs from both parties and members of the Hazara community itself. It gave me an acute appreciation for the history of religion in the region and the diverse ethnic makeup of the country. I could see how MPs plan on lobbying for its increased awareness and what they think the government can do about it. The whole day was nothing short of fascinating and inspirational; it increased my curiosity beyond end, and I cannot thank Mr Yasin enough for the opportunity.”
Mr Henry Vann, Teacher of History and Politics and himself a respected local councillor said, “This was a fantastic opportunity for Millan to not only witness the Houses of Parliament in action, but also to have the opportunity to discuss serious current issues with Mr Yasin one on one. I urge everyone to try to visit Westminster at least once – it is such a unique opportunity to see law-making in action and form a wider understanding about Government – and it is a public building, open to all and there to see in person.”