To think that the Houses of Parliament should be replaced

It’s not just about geography though is it,? and are you counting the channel islands, Gibraltar and other overseas territories in your calculations? More people live in London than the whole of Scotland , so if parliament was there it would be more remote for more people than it is currently.

Great ideas. It would certainly give the chance to root out some of the old ridiculous practices and expensive ways of doing things. It would save on energy and accommodation costs as well as saving on time with digital voting. I am concerned that we could be spending billions and billions on repairing the current building, which would still be unfit for purpose, and then still have huge maintenance costs going forward.

I'm not anti London Nvella, I am anti London and the South East - just so we get it correct.

Well, I like the Scottish Parliament building, so there. London may be the UK capital, Nvella, but it is still a long way away from a lot of the population and expensive to travel to. We need a bit of lateral thinking, and I'm with Granny23 in her wish to get Parliament closer to the centre of the country (that's the UK currently, not just England).

I think parliament needs a modern building which is like several other parliament buildings in other countries - they are circular or semi circular, and encourage people to connect in a more positive way. The current chamber is designed to promote attack and confrontation - we need something which promotes connection and shared commitment to positive outcomes for the country. Within that there can and should be disagreement and challenge - but we have had enough of ugly fighting. The existing building could be renovated and then used for the public benefit - maybe include a gallery, a place for talks, a museum - perhaps a hotel and conference centre. There are lots of possibilities. The new parliament building could be fit for purpose and promote democracy.

Keep, restore, and refurbish it for modern use is my vote. They should have history sitting on their shoulders. Somebody, someday may learn from it. That building is too symbolically important to this country to let go. It's a survivor and a beautiful building too in a lovely setting.

More than anything I can't think how it helps to have the HoP in London and this is probably the only chance to rectify that.

So much anti-London feeling always - it is our CAPITAL you know. Which other countries have their parliament in somewhere other than the capital. And I would keep the Houses of Parliament -exactly where they are.

I didn't suggest knocking the building down. It's a stunning building and tourists love to see it. But is it fit for purpose as a meeting place/offices for our Parliament in this modern digital age? I don't know the answer. I simply wondered which would be more expensive renovating it and trying to drag it's facilities into the 21st Century or changing it's use and building a new Houses of Parliament that is fit for purpose.

The present poor state of the buildings is due to the failure of successive administrations to face up to it. Repair and modernisation is essential as the costs now relate to many, many years when the work should have been done. The bright side should be that renewal waould allow up to date systems and accommodation.

This is far better than some new construction that will almost certainly be an eyesore. Scotland's example does not inspire. Wales' is simply for show and the business is done in two separate buildings. What we have at Westminster is world renowned and recolgnised.

Out town hall is slap bang in the middle of town GGM2 so ideally positioned and very accessible to all. It is a beautiful building inside and out. It is now very popular as a wedding venue too (we have a separate register office). My gripe isn't about the money spent on refurbishing the building or the ornate fittings inside it is the money spent on luxurious extras that really weren't necessary.

Brilliant ideas Granny23! I have said for ages that they should just have use basic apartments or premier inn rooms rather than second houses and all the associated expenses and fiddles. Perhaps the bedsits could just have single beds too and we could avoid some of the extra marital affairs!

Cannot understand why we are subsidising alcohol either. We know we have a problem with alcohol in the U.K., so why don’t they set an example by making Parliament alcohol free. Surely most people don’t miss their jobs with booze?

Just wish they would get on and do their jobs.

We people certainly do have a sense of history Royandsyl. I wonder what made you think we don't - have you read the thread?

Have you people no sense of history? It is a beautiful building. Besides the we Scittish parliament cost so much more than they thought. Visitors from abroad akways want to see our parliament. I live in a 1660 house and love the history of it and the folk who lived here. No thank you I find new buildings in London very ugly. Sorry.

This government is so fond of privatisation maybe they could get the H of P sponsored by some private companies . So it could be the EDF Commons , or the Harrods House of Lords. Toilets sponsored by Tampax or Andrex. Bars run by Weatherspoons or Starbucks. .

I don't think it is all about 'value' Jalima, if you mean money in and money out, although I do think the HoP would bring in enough to eventually cover its costs and there would be the additional money brought in to local businesses because people are visiting.

I think the value of moving would be wider. For a start, I think we would have to reconsider the structure of the Commons and the Lords. That might be seen as a value in its own right. It may also have a value in bringing work to a struggling area and a value in that getting people to work in a new Parliament might be a lot easier than in London. Housing in a currently depressed area would be easier too.

If you look it up there are claims from both Haltwhistle in Northumberland and Dunsop Bridge, Lancashire to be the centre of the UK. Where do you think would be the centre if you took your idea of the capitals?

vampirequeen .Is it not our history that bring so many visitors to our shores?Well its certainly not the weather.
I have seen many of our historic buildings throughout my life and hope I won't be here to see any of them obliterated for economic reasons.
It would not be economical to build as you suggest an all mod cons replacement but still use the HoP
For what .?another fast food outlet another all singing and dancing hotel.? I am sure we are in dire need of more of those.

I think it's a beautiful old building and it would be a shame to see it demolished BUT sadly old buildings need an awful lot of expensive maintenance. Would you knock down York Minster or Salisbury Cathedral?
What would they replace it with? Something modern and ugly? Many newer buildings are absolutely soul-less in my view and weren't built to last.

Perhaps, if we do have a new one (and I am not convinced that it would be best value) it should be equi-distant from the other capital cities and seats of power?

Railman, Cardiff is a capital ?

My biggest difficulty was explaining to the French girl I was with what the Lords actually was and did

That's where we could make some savings.

And it has always puzzled me how anyone can be expected to work - especially conducting affairs of state and deciding on the future of our country - when they may have spent time in the Members' Bar imbibing. The same goes for the EU too, of course

Mine has decided to sell off the beautiful buildings in the centre of town they currently inhabit and build more 'fit for purpose' ones gillybob. We are a conference town and a hub for tourism so the building will make beautiful extra hotel and conference facilities, boost the economy and put the council in a more accessible place. I also think the frame of mind when it comes to work changes if you are in a better workplace that fits today's methods of work.

But surely part of visiting the building is spotting the personalities and that adds to the feeling. I saw Glenda Jackson when I visited and a few others and Alan Sugar in the Lords (which was full unlike the Commons). My biggest difficulty was explaining to the French girl I was with what the Lords actually was and did. It is a great place to visit and I would hate to see it replaced. Although arguably if we are moving the centre of power Newcastle is the best placed city for it!

My town hall has just undergone a massive refurbishment program costing millions. The town was split over this as we are a very poor town with very high council taxes.

My DDiL and I recently had an impromptu tour of the council chambers when we arrived slightly too early for a school appeal hearing in one of the meeting rooms. It's the first time I have seen it after the refurbishment and had to admit that it is amazing and something to be proud of. My main gripe was why they had to go too far and spend hundreds of thousands on thousands of new leather chairs, sideboards etc. together with the most expensive coffee machines money can buy which seem to be dotted all over the place.

Bluegal it doesn't stop it being fascinating and interesting just because the people and the business move elsewhere and it would make it available to many more people.

Times change. People want change currently, so why shouldn't all those people be moved to a better, more fit for purpose building.