Relocate Parliament to Birmingham
From "Sustainability"
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There must be a strong case for relocating the seat of government to Birmingham. The city is more geographically central in the UK (closer to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland). HS2 is being built from London to Curzon St station in Birmingham. This would therefore be the ideal location for a purpose-built parliamentary complex. It could be designed from the ground up to have modern IT systems, energy-efficient heating/cooling, sustainable water use, etc. All the infrastructure of government could be located in one secure complex: debating chambers, theatres, committee rooms, offices, function rooms, restaurants, creche, hotel (for MPs, staff and visitors), etc.
Curzon St is only minutes away from Birmingham International Airport by rail. Extensions of HS2 to the north, and upgrades to lines to the west, south-west and east would make this the best-connected city in the UK.
Vacating the Palace of Westminster would facilitate its safe, sustainable and cost-efficient repair and refurbishment as a museum – of British history, democracy or government – and as a functional space with accommodation for state and other events.
