BORIS’S BIG BEN BEGGING BOWL
PM wants public to raise £500,000 so bells can chime Britain out of the EU on Jan 31
BORIS Johnson yesterday appealed for public donations to pay for Big Ben to chime Britain out of the European Union.
Downing Street said the Government could not justify the estimated £500,000 cost of bringing the bell tower out of mothballs for it to bong at 11pm on January 31.
But Tory MPs yesterday redoubled their efforts to ensure the commemoration takes place. Tim Loughton offered to climb the Elizabeth Tower and ring Big Ben himself with a sledgehammer.
Peter Bone suggested that anti-Brexit officials had intervened to inflate the cost.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Mr Johnson said: ‘We’re working up a plan so people can bung a bob for a Big Ben bong because there are some people who want to.
‘They seem to have taken the clapper away, so we need to restore the clapper in order to bong Big Ben on Brexit night. And that is expensive, so we’re looking at whether the public can fund it.’
The House of Commons Commission,
which has responsibility for Big Ben, ruled out bringing it back into use for one night after a study warned it could cost £500,000 – more than four times the original estimate.
Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, who is chairman of the commission, said: ‘The commission believes it is important to weigh up the costs this would involve if Big Ben is to chime on January 31. You are talking about £50,000 a bong.
‘We also have to bear in mind that the only people who will hear it will be those who live near or are visiting Westminster.’
And in a statement last night the commission dismissed the idea of private funding.
‘This would be an unprecedented approach,’ the statement said. ‘The House of Commons has well established means of voting through the expenditure required to allow it to function, and to preserve its constitutional position in relation to Government.
‘Any novel form of funding would need to be consistent with principles of propriety and proper oversight of public expenditure.’
Liberal Democrat peer Lord Greaves warned that official celebrations to mark Brexit would further upset many
‘Bring it out of mothballs’
Remainers and EU citizens and could lead to scenes reminiscent of Nazi Germany.
‘Triumphalistic behaviour, festivals of Brexit and all the rest will simply make things worse,’ he said. ‘I am fearful that on January 31 some things may happen in some places which could be reminiscent of things happening in Germany in the early 1930s.’
No 10 said the Government would not establish a crowdsourced fund, but suggested ministers would work to bring Big Ben into use if public donations were made.
Big Ben is undergoing longterm repairs and has not been chiming regularly since 2017. However, the famous bell is brought back into service for key national events such as Remembrance Sunday and New Year’s Eve.
Mr Bone said: ‘I do not understand how it is that the bell can bong on December 31 but can’t bong on January 31 without incurring an absurd bill.’
Mr Loughton added: ‘I am happy to volunteer to go up to the bell tower with a sledgehammer and bash Big Ben 11 times for free. Perhaps we should have a competition for the privilege.’
The Commons authorities yesterday defended the cost, saying the clock mechanism which powers the hammer that strikes the Great Bell was dismantled and removed as part of the refurbishment project.