is bedlam still open?

I heard a suggestion that Parliament could decant to Manchester or Birmingham.

Sounds a sensible solution to me, then money could be raised via donations and benefactors to repair Westminster palace and  make it a publicly accessible building , such as a museum or similar.

Focus would then, finally be some were else rather than the over priced,overcrowded south east.

The horribly expensive high speed trains would get some proper use after all..

be easy for white dee to get to parliment

£3 billion is an incredible amount to find. Better spent on fixing dilapidated schools and sorting out the NHS, imo. Too much fixating on ancient buildings in this country, and not enough on things that really matter, like homeless people, children, healthcare, etc.
I am sure there are secure buildings in this country where the Government can work from. Sorry if my heart doesnt bleed.........

As a historian I am all for preserving our history , but I agree with Skylark ...not at the expense of more important things ...and certainly not to make politicians more comfortable  

Hi Baz, yes i am like you too. I would like some old buildings/ historical houses etc to be kept, of course. My fear with this particular building the repairs may come out the public purse. If people want to offer donations, fair enough...but i have a feeling the money will be found off the back of folk who cant afford it..we shall see..x

*Agrees with these posts too*

Dave was asked,on that inside parliament prog, how he would describe the houses of parliament, he said....'it's rather like a school'

And there you have it,so far out of touch he's practically in Narnia,it's not like any school 99% of the population went to is it?

Exactly Jackson.  

I visited last year and it looked fine

Actually it was dazzling - especially The Palace of Westminster bit

And the steps up to it where Guy Fawkes and William Wallace were sentenced to death.

Astounding history!!

I hear there is a circus down the road. They could use that along with all the other clowns 

It's an interesting point Skylark. Given that in time the planet will explode, why not start to pull down inefficient buildings and replace them with much more ecologically and environmentally sound structures.

If you think about it they can digitally "scan" the buildings and we have them preserved digitally. Let's face it, there are probably hundreds of grade I and Grade II listed buildings and site I or many will never see in person, but I can online.

It's a bit like hoarding old school books, one does not need them.

*dons tin hat and waits for the backlash*

Hi EC.  As said to Baz, of old buildings  yes i agree with the upkeep of historical buildings, i dont agree with funding this particular building,s repairs to the possible expense of others , at the point of repeating myself, £3 Billion is hard to find these days. I dont quite get your point on old books?
No backlash here 

Could turn parts of it into a hotel, to fun the repairs. I'm sure there would be loads of millionaires wanting to spend a few nights in there for the appropriate price  

Dont they do that already?? 

 yesssssss, brilliant Skylark  

Get rid of the ermine lot. That would pay for it twice over.

Hellorare Lord velvet of Castlemilk