Parliament For Sale? Fears Building Could Sink Into Thames

First Posted: 23/01/2012 06:53 Updated: 23/01/2012 11:00   PA

MPs will discuss selling the Palace of Westminster amid concerns over its long-term future on Monday.

Subsidence caused by work on Parliament's underground car park and the construction of new Tube tunnels have led to cracks appearing in walls around the Houses of Commons and Lords, with Big Ben's bell tower leaning 18in at its peak.

There are even fears the building could sink into the Thames.

MPs on the House of Commons Commission, which is responsible for the upkeep of the Parliamentary estate, meet today to discuss a surveyor's report that suggests options for dealing with the problems, including repairs to the mock-Gothic building which may mean peers and MPs temporarily moving out.

The most radical solution would be to sell the estate and move into new offices, though politicians are unlikely to abandon such a famous and prestigious Grade I-listed location.

A Commons spokesman told The Sunday Times: "The commission will be considering whether to ask officials from both Houses to undertake a study into the long-term approach to the maintenance of Parliament.

"No decisions are likely to be taken for several years as to whether either House will need to move out of the palace for a period to allow essential work to take place."

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MPs will discuss selling the Palace of Westminster amid concerns over its long-term future on Monday. Subsidence caused by work on Parliament's underground car park and the construction of new Tube...
MPs will discuss selling the Palace of Westminster amid concerns over its long-term future on Monday. Subsidence caused by work on Parliament's underground car park and the construction of new Tube...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
mokgee
Sabu.Satsang, Samsara, Solitude...
08:37 AM on 01/24/2012
Occupants included in the sale, that should stop it being sold to any interested buyer......Russia and China, aready own half of the area, when it's gone it's gone.....
12:22 AM on 01/24/2012
Have a look at the film V for Vendetta, ( exactly what we should do with it ).
We are broke and have no money spare, so it has to go.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Ppenguinator
Life's too imprtant to be taken seriously.
09:54 PM on 01/23/2012
Won't happen, and building a new one would probably cost more than selling the existing one would raise.
It would make a brilliant supercasino, though.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
lioness39
Senior red state liberal
08:10 PM on 01/23/2012
Not that I am interested in buying but how many full baths does it have?
04:54 PM on 01/23/2012
Knock it down, use the rubble for making the 3rd airport.
11:52 AM on 01/23/2012
Get rid of it. The real power is in Brussels anyway. The MPs have disgraced it in many ways. They have destroyed the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, British Army. They have given away our sovereignty. They have stolen our money and ruined our economy and made Britain a laughing stock. Strange it was damaged by an underground car park, not many people have that kind of luxury
11:27 AM on 01/23/2012
It is strange how modern way of life is destroying London. The problem with the city of London is that it is built on blue clay. In the industrial revolution water for most things was pumped out of the blue clay right into the 1950's. Then along came Thames water and said you have to use our water. Now the blue clay had become stable as it was mainly dried out. Health and safety insisted that it was in the interest of health to use water from the Thames rather than use the wells. The blue clay slowly became water logged and the city of London is slowly sinking into the blue clay. Another good idea dad. Colin
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11:02 AM on 01/23/2012
I'm loving the idea of the Palace of Westminster "sinking into the Thames". Any chance it can take place over the space of an hour while an orchestra perched on Westminster bridge performs an appropriate expressionistic score?
10:56 AM on 01/23/2012
Why not sell the Houses of Parliament? Our MPs have sold everything else of value to the nation over the last 20/30years so why not Westminster? As to the occupants of Parliament. Well they sold their souls and our futures many years ago and continue to do so!
10:54 AM on 01/23/2012
Sell it off. The place is far too costly to run as it is.
10:43 AM on 01/23/2012
This is maybe one of the saddest things that I have heard in my life. The Palace of Westminster was first built in the eleventh century when it was the home of the kings of England. I lasted until 1512 when some of it got destroyed by fire. However the building has undergone many fires and rebuilds over the course of time and has become probably the most notable landmark in London with thousands of people flocking to see it year in year out. As a child I would peddle my way from Shepherds Bush to the bridge that spans the Thames at the foot of Big Ben and just wonder at that building. This complex has managed to come through years of attacks and wars to now be damaged by a tube line and an underground car park. Even Guy Fawkes never managed to do harm to this building. No it has waited until today to suffer at the hands of the members of Parliament that wanted an underground car park and a train line that should never have been allowed to be placed under that building. This Building was built long before rumbling underground trains shook the dwellings above then and anybody that has lived above an underground line will tell you that you can feel the trains as they pass beneath. I don't see why a car park and an underground train line are more important that this building that is part of our history.
10:39 AM on 01/23/2012
Like most areas in London it would be owned by the Duke of Westminster and Leased to HM Government if not then, Palace of Westminster would be under the Queens control. Maybe we should sell it to the Americans I remember they bought London Bridge thinking it was Tower Bridge
10:25 AM on 01/23/2012
guy falkes didnt need to blow it up as patience is a virtue and wey hey its going to fall any way.......................
10:18 AM on 01/23/2012
I hope the sale includes all the sitting MP's at the time, after all they are used to being bought and sold in one way or another.
10:16 AM on 01/23/2012
Who actually own's it?? I think there may be quite a few legal challenges if the palace were to go up for sale!! could we not nurn it into a summer palace for our Euro leaders in which to relax after a hard debate ???
10:26 AM on 01/23/2012
its owned by the general public (tax payers) ............................