January 16, 2019
Day 2 in UK Parliament. We had 7 meetings today. We started with a meeting on the powers, scope and budget of All Party Parliamentary Group. Then we had a meeting regarding the Procedure Committee. This was then followed by a meeting with MP Richard Graham, who is the UK Trade Envoy to Malaysia. At lunch, we met more MPs, where I sat with Lord Beith and discussed Liaison committee powers which scrutinises the Prime Minister’s powers. After lunch we met the Director General of the House of Commons. Followed by a special meeting with Rt. Hon Andrea Leadsom, Leader of the House and finally a meeting on Prime Minister Question Time. We got back to the hotel, had a rest of 20 minutes and then to University of London Senate House, where the Speaker gave a speech and took some questions from Malaysian students.
What a day! Yesterday, we did 4 meetings and 1 formal dinner. Today we did 7 meetings and 1 public engagement.
Through out the day, there was the palpable sense of doom on the Brexit vote. PM May lost, as expected but the size of the defeat was simply and historically staggering. She had 202 votes and the nays had 432! This is the worst ever defeat of a government bill since the 1920s.
Tomorrow, we have been given a slot to observe Prime Minister Question Time at 12 noon. Theresa May will also face a no confidence vote!