Do We Really Need The Palace Of Westminster?

[mushroom25]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-42453941

spend £3.5BN which the country hasn't got on a crumbling ruin? or build a new purpose built facility in a "big shed" warehouse building next to a motorway junction, which will be hundreds of percent more accessible to the electorate, with adequate parking, and sell off a very sought after London riverside development potential worth several more billions?

image and status? or practical and affordable?

[ToraToraTora]

YES!

[emmie]

its a symbol of government known the world over,
I don;t want it to become some super charged hotel for the rich and famous, spend the money and be done with it.

[Kromovaracun]

Some things are worth more than money. That building is a beautiful and important part of our heritage and our art history. It is worth keeping.

Whether or not it actually needs to host our parliament (which is getting too big for it) is another question. I would not be against converting the PoW into a museum or gallery with the actual parliament itself moving somewhere else, even if that meant a change in ownership. But removing the building itself would be a huge act of vandalism. Especially if it were then to be replaced by even more bland and interchangeable flats for the ultra-rich.

[Jackdaw33]

Yes, it's a tourist attraction.

[emmie]

we just spent over 6 billion on one aircraft carrier,
The Queen Elizabeth, is that value for money...

[New Judge]

"...which will be hundreds of percent more accessible to the electorate,"

It doesn't need to be accessible to the electorate.

"image and status? or practical and affordable?"

Your proposal is practical and affordable. However, the nation's image and status needs some consideration. The UK has gone far enough down the path of descent into a Third World cesspit. To move its Parliament into a warehouse next to the M4 will steepen that path. In fact, even most Third World cesspits manage to find a half decent building for their parliaments. There's no reason why we should not.

[Jackdaw33]

Yes it is. It could prove to be invaluable should we ever be at war. I don't begrudge a single penny spent on defence.

[Khandro]

'One of the most recognised buildings in the world, the Palace of Westminster owes its stunning Gothic architecture to the 19th-century architect Sir Charles Barry. Now Grade I listed, and part of an UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Palace contains a fascinating mixture of both ancient and modern buildings, and houses an iconic collection of furnishings, archives and works of art.'

I would add to that, it is a demonstration of the finest British craftsmanship in stone and wood the like of which the world will never see again. It's grade 1 listed - so the stupid suggestion to tear it down is thankfully, a non-starter.

[bhg481]

emmie - HMS Queen Elizabeth cost £3.1 billion, not £6billion.

[ichkeria]

The country doesn’t have 3.5 billion?
Building a large shed off the M4 would in reality end up bring a lot more than just that.
We ‘take back control’ and then send all our beloved reempowered MPs who we all really love and respect and constantly praise and talk up especially on this forum to some glorified service station with bomb proof pillars? No I won’t have that :-)

[emmie]

bhg
the website i looked at gave over 6 billion.

[bhg481]

emmie - perhaps that's for the pair, QE and Prince of Wales.

[emmie]

however its a lot of money from the armed forces budget.

[redvanman]

Very good idea Emmie lets all vote for it

[atalanta]

I say knock it all down and start again, somewhere else, somewhere where a building could be far better protected. Like the middle of a moor somewhere. As it is, the HP are vulnerable from the river as well as the roads. In fact, I used to have an office from which, had I been so inclined, and had I been provided with a sniper rifle, I could have picked off anyone on that terrace with ease.
Can you imagine how many zillions that site would fetch for luxury developments ? Sell the plot to the Russians, and we could pay off the national debt.

[Old_Geezer]

Does the human race need to survive ? The answer is no, the universe will go on without them, but most would see benefit from them doing so.

Does the Palace of Westminster need to survive ? The answer is no, government can go on without it, but most would see benefit from it doing so.

[rccatnap]

Absolutely, YES!

[Bazile]

3.5bn ?

I rather suspect that someone saw someone coming

[Gromit]

Rebuild in Manchester for a fraction of the cost.
And there are decent cheap pubs within the locale.

[jourdain2]

Yes, for historic and tourist interests given by others. Do historic ceremonies there for tourist purposes.

Also agree with Gromit that a purpose-built, northern centre to house actual working parliament would be a good idea. If it were still here I would have suggested the Don Valley Stadium. Bang on the M1 and rail link to London. There is still room there and a central Parliamentary help to unify the country.