Move Parliament to Dudley Town Hall, says MP Ian Austin

Ian Austin suggests Dudley Town Hall become a temporary House of Commons, with 650 MPs using it for their debates and votes.

The Houses of Parliament are facing years of major renovation at a cost of between £3 billion and £6 billion.

Most of it dates back to the mid-19th century after the original Palace of Westminster was virtually destroyed by fire in 1834.

But the Victorian building is showing its age and its cast iron roof is leaking. Stonework has also deteriorated badly.

Dudley Town Hall, by comparison, is much newer and was completed in 1928. It also has its a clock tower, its own answer to the Elizabeth Tower that houses the world famous Big Ben.

Speaking in the Commons Labour's Mr Austin, MP for Dudley North, suggested it would keep ministers and civil servants in touch with life outside London.

He said: "Can I ask why everybody is assuming if we do have to move out of Parliament while it's repaired, why we just automatically move to somewhere else in London? Why can't we move to the Midlands, preferably the Black Country?

"It would be much easier for most members to get to and it would allow ministers and the Metropolitan elite running the Civil Service to find out what life's like for the rest of us.

"And as you'll know Mr Speaker, from your celebrated visit to Dudley just a few years ago, the Edwardian masterpiece that is Dudley Town Hall, as the honourable member for Dudley South (Mike Wood), in his place, will know, is at least twice the size of this chamber and would provide adequate accommodation for every member."

But Leader of the Commons Chris Grayling said: "Well, I commend him on his diligence promoting the great town of Dudley and the Black Country, which is a fine part of this country, with a great heritage but also great businesses and communities. I suspect if we had a debate about alternative venues for this House, we would very likely have 650 different arguments being made."

Margot James, Conservative MP for Stourbridge, also saw complications in getting government business done.

She said: "It's certainly reasonable to want to see some of Parliament's work devolved to the regions. But it would be difficult to move the Commons as many ministers split their time between Parliament and their departments in Whitehall."

Last year the actor Brian Cox - not to be confused with the TV physicist - suggested Parliament should move to Wolverhampton.

The long-serving Labour party supporter believed it would cut MPs' living costs and would prevent a repeat of the expenses scandal.

The actor, who starred as the baddie in X-Men 2 as well as blockbusters like Troy, said: "The best thing that could happen to London would be if Parliament were to be moved to Wolverhampton."

"The Houses of Parliament could become nice Peabody Trust housing and be a really lovely place to live, for people who couldn't otherwise afford London. That would be wonderful."