Bim Afolami, the MP for Hitchin and Harpenden, kicked off his 2023 schedule of tours of the Houses of Parliament for local residents on Thursday, January 12.

Dozens of people from Hitchin, Harpenden and local villages travelled to Westminster to hear from their local MP about some of the history of Parliament and to get some insight into the day-to-day life of an MP.

Mr Afolami has hosted regular personally-guided tours of Parliament for constituents since he was first elected in 2017, carrying on a tradition started by his predecessor Peter Lilley.

Mr Afolami said: “It is always a great pleasure to be able to give people in Hitchin & Harpenden the opportunity to visit Westminster and get a look behind the scenes at how our Parliament operates.

"I thoroughly enjoy being able to answer people’s questions about the history of the building, our parliamentary democracy and what being a Member of Parliament is like on a day-to-day basis as I work to deliver on the priorities of local residents.

“I am looking forward to being able to show even more people around Parliament in 2023 and I would encourage any and all constituents who are interested in joining one of my tours to get in touch and sign up to attend one.

"Every day I am inspired by the history of the place – I very much hope that as many people as possible who want to learn more about Parliament will come and visit this year.”

Constituents interested in joining Mr Afolami for a tour of Parliament can register their interest on his website.