UK Parliament Restoration Vote Expected in December
The British government led by Prime Minister Andy Burnham wants to hold a vote in early December on preparatory works to restore the Palace of Westminster. The Conservatives reportedly plan to instruct their MPs to vote against.
Members of the UK House of Commons are moving toward a vote on the first step in a major restoration of the Palace of Westminster, the home of Britain's parliament in London. According to three people with knowledge of the plans, government whips have discussed holding a debate and vote on so-called preparatory works in early December. The issue matters because years of delay raise both the risk of serious failure in the building and the eventual cost.
A long stalemate
The 19th-century building suffers from leaks, fires, asbestos, and outdated plumbing and wiring. MPs, peers and parliamentary authorities have failed to agree on how to repair it for more than a decade. Successive governments have shied away from the project over fears of public anger at the price: the main options are estimated at between £11 billion and £39 billion.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham took office in July, and signs suggest he is sympathetic to speeding the process up. Alan Campbell, leader of the House of Commons, told MPs in October that postponing the work costs more, both to keep the building running and to eventually act.
What the vote would do
A December vote would allow contractors to begin a program of work, including procurement and building surveys, estimated at £3 billion over seven years. The final option will be decided only in 2030: either a full move of MPs to another building, or an enhanced maintenance program that lets the Commons stay in the Palace.
Two of the three sources said Conservative Party leaders intend to instruct their MPs to block the preparatory works. Party leader Kemi Badenoch said earlier this year that the plans were "out of control" and a "white elephant project".
Risks
A report published Wednesday by the cross-party public accounts committee warned that without action the Palace faces managed decline at best and a catastrophic event at worst. Basement corridors are so packed with pipes and wiring that workers can only walk through them in single file. Ad hoc maintenance and repairs cost £1.56 million a week in 2025, up from £1.45 million in 2023.
