THREAD/

Today parliament holds its first 'hybrid' session, with MPs asking questions by video link.
https://reut.rs/2VoXIOJ 

In 1943, Churchill made a speech arguing that the Commons chamber, destroyed by WW2 bombs, must be rebuilt as it was before: Rectangular and adversarial.

Churchill said: "Having dwelt and served for more than 40 years in the late Chamber, and having derived fiery great pleasure and advantage therefrom, I, naturally, would like to see it restored in all essentials to its old form, convenience and dignity."

He argued: "Its shape should be oblong and not semi-circular ... The semi-circular assembly, which appeals to political theorists, enables every individual or every group to move round the centre, adopting various shades of pink according as the weather changes."

Churchill continued:

"It is easy for an individual to move through those insensible gradations from Left to Right but the act of crossing the Floor is one which requires serious consideration."

"It should not be big enough to contain all its Members at once without over-crowding ... if the House is big enough to contain all its Members, nine-tenths of its Debates will be conducted in the depressing atmosphere of an almost empty or half-empty Chamber," Churchill said.

And now to the bit relevant to today's Zoom conversion:

"The essence of good House of Commons speaking is the conversational style, the facility for quick, informal interruptions and interchanges"

"The vitality and the authority of the House ... and its hold upon an electorate, based upon universal suffrage, depends to no small extent upon its episodes and great moments, even upon its scenes and rows, which, as everyone will agree, are better conducted at close quarters."

The full link to the speech is here. It's an interesting read.

https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1943/oct/28/house-of-commons-rebuilding

Pictures on this thread are credited to the @HouseofCommons photographers Jessica Taylor and Roger Harris.

Good luck @LindsayHoyle_MP, you might need it!

/ENDS