Common(s) as muck

Housing Minister Grant Schapps today announced at the House of Commons an extra £5m to help prevent and eradictae homelessness. Whilst I applaud additional funding and him generally raising the profile of rough sleeping, 'clutching at straws' and 'flogging a dead horse' spring to mind. Perhaps I've been at this too long - the folk actually on the streets doing the work never get much of a mention.

Anyway, the hypocrite that I clearly am, I accepted the invitation. Having never been to the H of C, I confess this was my main motivation.

You are advised to allow an hour to pass through security - they ain't joking - this pic is proof of the long and slow moving queue (photography isn't permitted inside unfortunately).

Notable things about today...

Almost the first person I saw was Tanni Grey-Thompson (very cool).
The H of C has it's own very quaint Post Office.
It is an incredibly beautiful building.
Whilst waiting I spoke at length to a retired farmer from East Yorkshire called John who is convinced that British children will be better at maths if we return to the abacus (like the Chinese). He has given an abacus to every Member of Parlaiment to illustrate his point and today was there to lobby his own MP. He taught me some genius or bonkers tricks to do with counting and wouldn't let me leave until I had fingered his contraption. He was a lovely bloke.