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The art and geography of hanging around in Westminster to bump into MPs

The micro-geography of this patch of central London where gossip, news and political analysis are exchanged

John Rentoul
Monday 19 November 2018 02:16 GMT
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At times of political crisis an encampment of tents springs up on the small patch of grass across the road from the House of Lords, known as College Green or Abingdon Green. This is where TV cameras have the best view of the Palace of Westminster, and where they interview politicians and commentators.

At election times the big broadcasters build large raised platforms of the kind you would expect medieval royalty to sit in to watch jousting tournaments. At times of impromptu excitement such as last week’s, the tents are more like summer wedding gazebos.

This means that enterprising journalists seeking to bump into politicians know where to hang around. Bumping into politicians is an important part of the job. The reason lobby journalists are so called is that they have access to the Members’ Lobby of the House of Commons, which is just outside the chamber. That has been, since the early days of parliamentary reporting, the best place to “bump into” MPs, because this is the place where only MPs and accredited journalists are allowed.

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