Proposed relocation of the Parliament of the United Kingdom
Open-knowledge reference entry
Several parties have advocated the relocation of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from its current location at the Palace of Westminster, London, to the English Midlands or Northern England, for economic or other reasons. A contributing factor in favour of relocating the Parliament is the extremely high cost of any restoration programme.
Proposals
There has been some interest in relocating to York, Manchester or Birmingham, while former MP George Galloway once suggested Leeds as a new location.
The Electoral Reform Society supports the idea of relocation, making a case for England's and Britain's demographic or geographic centres of gravity.
In the 1850s, during the Great Stink, Parliament considered moving to either Henley, Oxford or St Albans, to avoid the foul smell of the Thames, but ultimately decided against it.
Current position on temporary relocation and restoration programme
2012
October
The House of Commons Commission issued a bulletin stating:
"At its meeting on Monday 29 October, the House of Commons Commission considered an internal Study Group report on the restoration and renewal of the Palace of Westminster. The Commission was united in taking very seriously its responsibilities for this iconic and much-loved Grade 1 listed building in a UNESCO world heritage site. It also expressed strong support for continuing to protect the health and safety of visitors, Members and staff. It is therefore of the unanimous view that doing nothing is not an option. Equally, the Commission is acutely conscious of the current public spending environment and is committed to ensuring that any consideration of how the Palace could be restored is based upon securing maximum value for taxpayers' money.
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