Arabic version: المحافظون يطالبون بتعليق خطط تجديد البرلمان المكلفة

The Conservatives are calling for a proposed renovation of the Houses of Parliament to be paused and refocused over concerns about costs potentially running into the tens of billions. The party’s leader, Kemi Badenoch, criticized the project as being out of control, describing it as a “basket case white elephant project”. According to BBC News, the ongoing maintenance of the Palace of Westminster is already costing taxpayers £1.5 million per week.

Badenoch’s comments come in response to a project team warning that delaying the restoration could lead to “an expensive managed decline” of the historic building. The current plans have raised serious concerns among Conservatives regarding their scale, scope, and governance, with estimates for completion potentially stretching across multiple decades.

The party has launched a public petition calling for a “fundamental rethink” of the renovation plans, advocating for a focus on “essential safety and structural works”. They have also requested stronger external oversight and transparent reporting to Parliament to ensure value for money.

As the debate continues, the Labour government has not yet disclosed its stance on the proposals, while Liberal Democrats expressed their commitment to preserving the historic site. The Green Party supports a full decant option, which would involve relocating both MPs and peers during the renovation process.

With initial works proposed to be capped at £3 billion over a seven-year period, a final decision on the renovation strategy is expected to be made by mid-2030. The urgency for repair stems from a decade-long acknowledgment of the Palace’s deteriorating condition, which poses risks such as fire hazards and structural failures.