Windscreen smashed by a chunk of Parliament
an MP’s car windscreen was smashed when a piece of masonry fell from a building at Westminster yesterday.
The car belonged to Tory MP Michael Ellis who is not thought to have been injured, but colleagues said the incident showed why Parliament needs urgent repairs.
The Palace of Westminster is in line for a major renovation expected to cost up to £3.9billion, but so far MPs have failed to reach a consensus on whether they should move out while the work is done.
It is needed to fix crumbling stonework, leaking roofs and inadequate fire safety at the Victorian building.
In recent years part of the ceiling of the Lords chamber collapsed, while a burst pipe flooded the committee room corridor. Yesterday stonework fell from the Grade Ilisted norman Shaw north building near the Palace of Westminster, landing feet from the entrance. MPs use the building as offices.
Tory MP Will Quince tweeted a photo showing the smashed windscreen of a Toyota Prius, with the caption: ‘Evidence of why Parliament needs urgent repair. This stone fell off the top of a building. Imagine if this had hit someone.’ He later removed the picture, saying he had been instructed to do so ‘for security reasons’.
He added: ‘I appreciate the picture is embarrassing to the parliamentary authorities given how serious this could have been.’
a parliamentary spokesman said the main entrance to the building had been closed until further notice and the incident was being investigated urgently.