Britain's historic parliament gets a technological overhaul

Britain's historic parliament gets a technological overhaul

For centuries UK politicians have crammed into the parliament chamber to debate government policy, but with only a handful of members currently permitted to sit in the chamber at one time, ancient traditions have had to quickly adapt and a host of new technology has been installed.

Adam Reed has more.

It’s been the center of British politics for over 600 years, but the UK’s parliament isn’t exactly known for embracing new methods of technology.

Recent events have forced the House of Commons to take a leap into the future in order to continue functioning in accordance with social distancing.

The deeply traditional debating chamber has been retro-fitted into a modern video-conferencing hub.

Matthew Hamlyn is the man charged with coordinating the chambers “new normal”.

"We've created a new way of managing business.

We have published lists of speakers now which we didn't used to have, which are there because everyone needs to know when they're being cued by the broadcast team.

It's like a giant TV studio” The green benches were until recently famously filled with hundreds of politicians engaging in rowdy debates, waving papers from their seats and hearty “hear hear” cheers for their leaders.

That’s all changed for now, as flat screen televisions beam choreographed questions into a near-silent chamber.

The changes took place in just two weeks and have now hosted several largely successful hybrid government sessions, including a virtual and unusually sedate Prime Minister's Questions.

“It’s never going to be as good as the real thing.

And I don't think we at the start ever claimed it would be.

But we said this what we can deliver given the constraints that we have." Some members of parliament are calling for a full return to the building itself, but others are standing firm, saying it’s not yet safe and want the virtual system to continue.