To think that Big Ben will chime for the last time tomorrow

[CastIronCookware]

If there is a change in Government while while the mechanism is being refurbished, will Labour honour the planned work or will they divert the tens of millions it will cost into public services?

Don't be daft. Of course Labour will pay for the renovation to be finished. And we're stuck with the Tories for the next 4 years anyway.

Yeah, that would be really awful if they put the money into saving lives and bringing people out of poverty. We all know that hearing a clock chime is more important.

They are switching off the bell to preserve the hearing of the engineers!

papa I don't entirely disagree with you, which is why I asked.

But where do you draw the line? All public buildings cost money to maintain - should MPs move into portacabins on Parliament Square rather than money be invested in the upkeep of the Palace of Westminster?

WTAF?

should MPs move into portacabins on Parliament Square rather than money be invested in the upkeep of the Palace of Westminster?

Why not? What is wrong with portacabins? Construction workers manage just fine in them.

AT Nothing wrong with portacabins at all.

Imagine how much money could be diverted into the NHS if the Palace was left to crumble.

The bell is being silenced as parts of the Tower are being renovated - estimated to cost anywhere between £20 and £60 million apparently!

It might be OK because the money from the refurbishment is probably coming from the Magic Money Tree

In the highly unlikely event of the works being cancelled, there would be no workers in the clock tower so no worries about protecting their hearing so chimes could resume.

What a fucking ridiculous post

Imagine how much money could be diverted into the NHS if the Palace was left to crumble.
I think it should be donated to the national (fucking) trust and the MPs should all move to Milton Keynes where they can take over a business park and have hotel rooms when they need to stay over. Personally. And yes the money saved to go into the NHS and schools.

In the highly unlikely event of the works being cancelled, there would be no workers in the clock tower so no worries about protecting their hearing so chimes could resume.

The clock hands and parts of the mechanism are being removed for refurbishment - it'll take half a days work to get it to a point where it can chime for NYE etc. I think it's quite possible for the work to be abandoned and things left unfinished.

I'm not sure it's any more ridiculous than other AIBUs though......

magine how much money could be diverted into the NHS if the Palace was left to crumble.
The bell is being silenced as parts of the Tower are being renovated - estimated to cost anywhere between £20 and £60 million apparently!

Firstly, can we stop with these ridiculous 'how far could this money go in the NHS' comparisons unless you are a hand wringing Daily Fail journalist who has to equate everything to nurses salaries, except when it's a distance and then it has to be London buses

Secondly, do you have any idea what the annual NHS budget is?
That diverted money would run the NHS for 3.2 seconds

The estimated cost of doing everything that is needed to stop the Houses of Parliament crumbling into the Thames is estimated at at least £3.5billion

www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/mar/17/houses-of-parliament-repair-bill

That diverted money would run the NHS for 3.2 seconds

True, but every little helps and if a life is saved in those 3.2 seconds then surely it's worth it?

Budget is already allocated and work has already commenced. I can't see any government wanting to pay breach of contract out to the construction company?

It's still peanuts compared to the Labour govt initiated HS2

The project is set at £29m, it was a formal tender process, work has already started.

www.constructionnews.co.uk/projects/mcalpine-wins-29m-big-ben-revamp-contract/10015268.article

I can't see any government wanting to pay breach of contract out to the construction company?

I suspect it happens more often than we think - a change in Government, or even a loss of majority, and plans which are underway are shelved with contractors being paid off.

I would LOVE to set up a massive phone vibrating noise instead as an arts project..

True, but every little helps and if a life is saved in those 3.2 seconds then surely it's worth it?

While you're at it, why not close down all the libraries and divert that money to the NHS as well?
Because nothing else is as valuable, right?

(Nurses salary comparisons, 'if it saves one life, it's worth it'... all we need now is something about immigration for the Daily Mail reader full house. Are you Katie Hopkins, OP?)

What a ridiculous bloody fuss has been made of this.

My eyes nearly rolled out of my fucking head when I read today that MPs plan 'vigil to mourn final Big Ben bongs 'with heads bowed and hope in our hearts'

Sell all the art works to the highest bidders!
Especially anything by Tracy Emin and Damian Hirst,

Firstly, can we stop with these ridiculous 'how far could this money go in the NHS' comparisons unless you are a hand wringing Daily Fail journalist who has to equate everything to nurses salaries, except when it's a distance and then it has to be London buses

I agree. I hate this idea that anything that benefits arts/culture/heritage is a waste of money.

It won't be the last but it will be strange not to hear it when in the vicinity. Especially on a day such as November 11th.