Every quarter-hour a crowd of various visitors. MP's. Lords and civil servants rush into the lobby to make their appointments. And almost as quickly they dash off to various offices, bars and committee rooms to conduct the day's business
It is here that Michael and his assistant Joanne Godwin greeted both myself and photographer Allan Williamson. It was my third visit to the House of Parliament but I was still overawed by the magnificence of every room and corridor we passed on the way to Michael's first appointment of the day, in committee room eight.
Here Michael and fellow members of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee would spend the next hour or so grilling junior transport minister Glenda Jackson over the arrangements for public transport to the Millennium Dome.
This highly controversial issue had attracted a large audience of press, public and interested individuals.
Each of the ten committee members present was allowed to asked the minister one question each in turn, at the call of chairman Gerald Kaufman.
It seems private vehicles will not be allowed within a kilometre of the Dome, so every visitor will have to use a form of public transport to get there.
"For a family of four in Lichfield, the cheapest way to get to the Dome will still be by car," Mr Fabricant said. "They will get as near as they can and park in the suburbs of London - what arrangements are there for this?" he asked.
The minister replied that she is confident the London Underground Jubilee Line link would be ready (despite fears that is way behind schedule) and the Millennium company (NMEC) is making park-and-ride arrangements.
The committee meeting was fairly relaxed and informal with everyone having a chance to speak
Following this, the manager of the company building the Jubilee Line extension was called in for a grilling behind closed doors.
After that came lunch and a quick photo session outside the House before rushing back for Prime Minister's Questions (PMQ).
It is during PMQ that the House is at its liveliest and busiest. The attention of the nation's news media is fixed firmly on the weekly ritual of Tony Blair and William Hague exchanging verbal blows across the dispatch box.
And it is here that every backbench MP has a chance to make an impact both outside and inside the House with a well put question.
"I asked a question three weeks ago, so I won't be able to catch the Speaker's eye today," said Michael, before joining hundreds of his honourable friends and colleagues in the chamber.
Michael took his seat on a bench almost directly behind William Hague for the half- hour of noise, bluster, debate, political point scoring and general jeering (the rest of the MPs joined in as well).
At 3.30pm on the dot the party leaders got up and left, as did the press and then almost everyone else in the House, except for a handful of MPs staying on for the following debate.
Then it was back to Michael's office for more photos, while he picked up his urgent messages, and prepared for a couple of evening engagements - one of them with the famous Conservative backbench MPs organisation, the 1922 Committee.
Meanwhile we began the trip back to Euston station. courtesy of a Cockney cabbie, whose own views on the House cannot be printed in a family newspaper.
Speeches, select committees and a sandwich - a day in the life of Lichfield's MP
8.30am - 9.00am At his office going through the post. checking appointments, and preparing for the day's business.
10am - House of Commons for meetings and morning business. Including Culture Media and Sport Select Committee hearings.
12.30 - Back to the office for more constituency work, answering mail and messages. "Sometimes I have lunch appointments or meetings, but more often than not I take a sandwich back at the office." Michael said.
Prepare for any speech or a question to ask that afternoon,
2.30pm - Back across the road to the Commons for Question Time, which starts at 3pm. Including Prime Minister's Questions each Wednesday.
4pm - Could be an evening debate in the Commons or back to the office.
The evening usually includes a dinner or meeting of one of the many Interest groups or committees of which Michael is a member.
