in fact, the tragedy, the luftwaffe was determined to smash democracy.ying to save this building. the speaker and his newly elected house of lords counterpart lord mcfall laid wreaths in a ceremony to remember them. the speaker's chaplin led prayers at what has become known as the churchill arch at the entrance to the commons. 0n today, 12th of may, prime winston churchill came to the chamber to view the destruction. he would make a plea for this archway to be retained in its bomb—damaged state, as a reminder forfuture generations. he looked at the chamber, the chamber where he had been here as an mp, where his father had been. he realised how important it was to the world, about the home of democracy. and as he surveyed the damage, which was unrecognisable, the spirit of the people of this palace was never going to be lost. and he said, "we will rebuild this chamber as it was, but more importantly, we know the damage to the arch when we walk in. it's not that we don't maintain this building. it is about a reminder of what the luftwaffe tried to do, whic

and 80 years on, the speaker recalls the night the luftwaffe bombed westminster.as dropping on the lords, in westminster hall, elizabeth tower, but the big bomb that caused the real damage was in this chamber. but first, the state opening of parliament was a dressed—down, socially distanced occasion compared to previous years, but no less significant for that. the queen's speech, which is written for her by ministers, outlined 30 proposed new laws — a signal of the government's priorities for the year ahead. so there was plenty of talk of levelling up, but only nine words and no new laws promised on social care. a bill to ease planning controls in england and another to require voters to prove their identity before casting their vote are already proving controversial, but a long—awaited online safety bill has been widely welcomed. trumpets play fanfare. some pomp and pageantry did survive the stripped—down ceremony, even if the queen arrived by car, rather than horse—drawn coach for her first major engagement since the death of the duke of edinburgh. as is traditi

in eight days in may 1941, the luftwaffe dropped 800 tonnes of high explosives and more than 100,000ding and recorded what he saw. st luke's church, that's a big church at the top of bowles street, is just a shell. that's been burnt out. the water mains went. there is a bomb down somewhere. the water mains went and they couldn't do anything, the firemen couldn't fight the fire. they had no water. the broadcaster gillian reynolds was a girl of five in liverpool at the time. what a hero this man was. going up on the rooftops and recording away and bombs all around him falling, falling, you could hear them. and he covered them, he covered what was happening so brilliantly. when i'm quiet like that, i am trying to take a bit of shelter. i don't want to put my neck out too far. there is some fire engines coming along now. the people with no water can't make any tea and they have been coming out to the firemen with buckets or anything at all — even potties — anything which would hold the water. the museum of liverpool reopening this month is currently staging an exhibition about the blitz.

and 80 years on, the speaker recalls the night the luftwaffe

our merseyside reporter andy gill has more.( in eight days in may 1941, the luftwaffe dropped 800 tonnesnth is currently staging an exhibition about the blitz. one expert says the recording is an important find. tt expert says the recording is an important find.— expert says the recording is an important find. it is fascinating and i think— important find. it is fascinating and i think it — important find. it is fascinating and i think it really _ important find. it is fascinating and i think it really brings i important find. it is fascinating | and i think it really brings home the horror— and i think it really brings home the horror of war for everyday people — the horror of war for everyday people in— the horror of war for everyday people in the city. you can really imagine — people in the city. you can really imagine yourself on top of the high building _ imagine yourself on top of the high building with the fire watchers and the vibrations he must have felt as those _ the vibrations he must have felt as those bombs you can hear on the audio _ those bombs you can hear on the audio a