A MEMBER of the UK Youth Parliament from Barry attended a special event to commemorate the 70th anniversary of Montfort’s Parliament.

Emily Peters was one of the selected members to attend the event in the Chapter House of Westminster Abbey to commemorate the anniversary of the Parliament called by Simon De Montfort, which met from January to mid-March 1265.

There were 40 members from both Houses of Parliament, representing the whole of the UK, as well as their respective representatives from the UK Youth Parliament.

The Montfort parliament was the first time that representatives of both towns and shires were summoned simultaneously to discuss matters of national concern, something which ultimately paved the way for the emergence of the House of Commons. The towns and counties were once again summoned to Westminster Abbey Chapter House, where they met together for the first time for the Montfort parliament on 20 January 1265.

The event was followed by a Special Evensong, which was open to the public, in Westminster Abbey at which the Speakers laid wreaths at the Montfort shield commemorating the pioneers of parliamentary democracy and those who campaigned for the rights and representation that we enjoy today.