To most of us, the familiar face of the House of Commons is the outward, official one, but the bars and restaurants within the Palace of Westminster give staff working or socialising there the opportunity to see the politicians with their guards down. Their working history, including candid tales and anecdotes of their encounters with Britain's political govenors, are recorded in the House of Commons staff oral history archive.
Rooting around in the archive, and in revealing interviews with current and retired staff, as well as MPs themselves, Matthew Parris finds out what really goes on behind the closed doors of Parliament and gives rare and intriguing insights into the reality of life at Westminster. Producer Kate Bissell
Matthew Parris on the HoP: page 119