Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has said that the Palace of Westminster is also a at risk of a “huge fire and warned, the fire that ripped through Notre Dame has raised concerns over the state of UK Parliament.
It has been acknowledged by politicians that action is needed to safeguard the Houses of Parliament, Corbyn said that state of the Palace of Westminster is “very poor.”
The restoration of the Westminster is not due to start until the mic 2020s, years has been spent over working out the best way to proceed, the restoration is going to cost billions.
Corbyn said that fire that ripped through Notre Dame cathedral on Monday evening was “very, very sad” he praised the brave efforts made by French firefighters.
He said, “You can see the majesty and beauty of that building and to see it destroyed is devastating, I think, for everybody in Paris and indeed around the world, because you see beautiful buildings like that and think of the beautiful buildings we’ve got in this country.
“If any of those were destroyed in fire, how would we feel about it?”
He added, “The state of the building is very poor in Westminster and a fire risk is obviously huge with a building that has so much wood within it.”
Chris Bryant, Labour MP who was on the joint committee of parliamentarians which examined the issues from both houses said, “We have taken far too long already putting our fire safety measures in place.
“Parts of the Palace are as old as Notre Dame and we must make sure that every fire precaution is taken as the major work goes ahead. God knows we’ve had enough warnings.”
The committee report found, “a substantial and growing risk of either a single, catastrophic event, such as a major fire, or a succession of incremental failures in essential systems which would lead to Parliament no longer being able to occupy the Palace.”
Fire safety systems are in place throughout the Palace of Westminster however, they are antiquated.
A parliamentary spokesman said, “Fire safety is a key priority for Parliament and protections are constantly reviewed and updated including at our active construction sites.
“Last year, we completed a major programme of works to enhance fire safety measures in the Palace of Westminster, and while this work continues we stand ready to learn any lessons that emerge from the fire at Notre Dame to ensure we do everything possible to protect our people and buildings on the Parliamentary Estate.”
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