The Second World War

The Second World War cemented relations between press and Parliament, for a while at least. For those who lived through the years of the threat of evacuation, secret sessions, the bombing of the Chamber and censorship, the experience left a keen sense that the Press Gallery was part of the constitutional furniture.

The principles the country was fighting for were embodied in the daily sittings of the House of Commons, which continued more or less as normal.

Secret plans were drawn up to evacuate Parliament from London, and the Press Gallery was included.

It was during this time of official censorship that Speaker Edward FitzRoy reassured reporters that “the Speaker will always be ready to uphold the rights and privileges of the Gallery”.