UK Lawmakers’ Warning: Leaky, Crumbling Parliament at Risk of Catastrophic Event

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The home of British democracy, also known as the Parliament building in London, is super famous and a popular tourist spot for over a million people per year. But a new report found that it could be dangerous due to its bad condition with leaking roofs, cracking walls and even asbestos throughout! The risks are getting bigger and bigger which might lead to major destruction if something isn’t done about it soon.

The committee warned that there is now an increasing chance of a bad event occurring which could cause the old building to be destroyed. This would happen before the planned work to restore it can be done. The past few years have seen slow progress and most of the money spent on this has only been for temporary fixes. 2 million pounds ($2.5 million) are needed each week to make these improvements, but at this rate, it’s unclear if it will ever be finished in time.

The committee was very angry at how long it took to decide upon what will happen with the old building called the ‘Palace of Westminster’. In 2018, after much debate and discussion, people in power agreed that everyone should move out by the mid-2020s so repair work can be done. Ever since then some people disagreeing with this decision have been speaking up about not wanting to leave – last year the team responsible for overseeing these events got disbanded.

The building is getting worse with time. Water drips from the ceiling, old plumbing breaks down, and sometimes pieces of the walls fall off. Everything inside was made when people were born in 1940s. There’s also so much asbestos that it will take 300 workers at least two and a half years to remove it all completely.

Since 2016, there has been a serious danger of fire happening in the Parliament building. The committee told us that they counted 44 times when firefighters had to come and put out fires within the premises. For this reason, there are now guards walking around at all times to try and keep everyone safe.

Politicians haven’t decided if they will agree to a big renovation plan. Some people don’t want to spend lots of money when so many are having financial troubles. Additionally, traditionalists don’t want to leave the old building with its cheap eateries and amazing views of the Thames River.

The committee said that fixing the building will be expensive, but not doing it would cost even more money. Labour Party lawmaker Meg Hillier, who is leading the committee, said there could be a very dangerous incident that might destroy the whole building before anything can even be done to fix it.

A group of people told politicians and people responsible for Parliament to give a clear understanding of how much this huge project will cost and when it’ll be finished, before time runs out.

The people managing Parliament responded by saying they’re busy working to make sure the safety of everyone who visits or works there is secure – with many repair and renovation projects already in motion.

The government wants to save the Palace of Westminster for future generations, which is why the House of Commons and House of Lords will soon vote on what needs to be done. The palace was originally built in a neo-Gothic style by architect Charles Barry after its predecessor burned down in 1834.