I must agree with Charlotte Higgins’ article about the unsuitability of the Houses of Parliament (Of course there is abusive behaviour in parliament – the place was built for it, 4 May). It is a fine example of mid-Victorian civic mock-medieval gothic, but quite inappropriate and inhibiting for a modern democracy. We need a new semi-circular chamber to reflect a proportional representation constitution supporting coalition governments, in contrast to the old ecclesiastical-style confrontational benches that promote the farce that is PMQs as well as the ludicrous archaic Ruritanian ceremonies. The Houses of Parliament would be a huge tourist draw as a museum to a defunct, corrupt system. We could even re-enact historic debates. As Churchill said: “We shape our buildings and afterwards our buildings shape us.”
Dr Louis Hellman
London
• When we as architects were designing the new Scottish parliament, the stern words of Donald Dewar rang in our ears: “There should be no Westminster confrontation chamber and there should be no bars!” He abhorred the atmosphere created by the synthesis of these two things.
