How The First World War Changed The British Government

As MPs return to work after the summer recess, Westminster Hall is the setting for a special exhibition.

It's looking at the role of parliament during the First World War.

The exhibition has been put together from the parliamentary archives by a team who wanted to try and bring this interesting period of legislation to life.

The Defence of the Realm Act was passed on 4th August 1914 and it effectively brought Parliament inside people's everyday lives like never before.

It gave Government sweeping powers to nationalise key industries, enforce press censorship and as the war went on the act grew imposing restrictions on buying binoculars, lighting bonfires and feeding wild animals!

The public is invited to learn more about the personal stories of parliamentarians who either fought on the frontline their selves or contributed to the war effort in other ways.

The exhibition also reveals correspondence the wartime prime minister received from members of the public

At the end of the war, Parliament passed the Representation of the People Act, a landmark piece of legislation which gave more people the right to vote.

At the end of the exhibition, there's an original World War One era ballot box where people can cast a vote to reflect their own visitor experience.