Centuries-old UK parliament risks ‘catastrophic failure’ over delayed revamp

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MPs warn crumbling Palace of Westminster faces rising threat of devastating fire

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Britain’s centuries-old parliament is at risk of a “Notre Dame-like” fire or other catastrophe if lawmakers continue to put off a major restoration project, MPs warned on Wednesday.

Crumbling masonry, ageing electrics, frequent leaks and high asbestos levels are some of the problems besetting the Palace of Westminster, parts of which are more than 900 years old.

Billions of pounds are required to renovate the estate, which sits within a Unesco World Heritage site, but parliamentarians have been unable to decide for years on how to proceed.

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