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In May 2024, students from MCC's Center for Constitutional Politics took part in a four-day study trip to England. The professional program revolved around two important current topics in law and political science: a closer look at Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs), also known as the pinnacle of British political life, and the supremacy and politicization of the judiciary.
The group visited the prestigious School of Slavonic and East European Studies at University College London (UCL), where they met Thomas Lorman, historian and lecturer at the School. Professor Lorman gave a lecture on Hungarian-British relations. The students then visited the library's Hungarian-language collection, which contains everything from the most popular Hungarian newspapers to academic journals and contemporary fiction.
In the afternoon, the group made their way to Oxford, where a professor from the Univeristy of Oxford gave a lecture on the state of British judicial system. Of course, a visit to the city's sights was also on the agenda, including Trinity College, the Radcliffe Camera and the Bodleian Library, the largest research library in Oxford. At the Hungarian Embassy in London, the students met Ambassador Ferenc Kumin. He provided the visitors with useful information about bilateral relations between the UK and Hungary, the domestic political situation in the UK and relations between the UK and the European Union.
The delegation then visited the Palace of Westminster, where they attended the aforementioned PMQ. PMQs took place every Wednesday lunchtime, where usually the Leader of the Opposition and, in certain cases, members of the governing party or opposition could ask questions of the Prime Minister on various government activities and policies, following a set procedure.
British domestic politics, however, provided another surprise for the Hungarian delegation when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a few hours after the group’s visit to Westminster that he had proposed to King Charles III that Parliament be dissolved and early elections be called for July 4.
The group attended a research seminar on the PMQs given by Ruxandra Serban, Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science at University College London.
In the next session, the students were able to question Rajiv Shah, the Prime Minister's special adviser about the electoral system, party relations, the UK election campaign and predictions for the upcoming elections.
It was an amazing trip with a variety of unique activities that gave the students both a practical perspective on the issues discussed and a theoretical insight.
