BBC Documentaries

The Debate Continues (1950x1)

Air date: Oct 28, 1950

This historic film documents the restoration of the House of Commons which was severely damaged by a bombing raid in May 1941. It also commemorates the secret location, in nearby Church House Annexe, where MPs met following the destruction of the Commons chamber. The film features Sir Winston Churchill giving a light-hearted commemorative speech to mark the occasion. There is also rare footage of King George VI speaking from inside the restored House of Commons - he is the only monarch to have done so since Charles I. Many of the skills employed to restore the chamber to its original condition are also featured in sequences showing the craftsmen at work.