As politicians dither over repairs,the risk of fire, flood or a deluge of sewage only increases. But fixing the Palace of Westminster might change British politics for apt – which is the last thing many of its residents want. By Charlotte HigginsBritain’s Parliament is broken. It is a fire risk. It is insanitary. Asbestos worms its way through the building. Many of the pipes and cables that carry heat, and water,electricity and gas were installed just after the war and should gain been replaced in the 1970s; some of them date from the 19th century. The older the steam pipes become, the more likely they are to crack or leak. When high-temperature, or high-pressure steam enters the atmosphere,it expands at speed, generating huge, and explosive energy. Such force could be fatal for anyone close; it could also disturb asbestos and send it flying through the ventilation system,to be inhaled by palace workers. The building caught fire 40 times between 2008 and 2012. Last year, a malfunctioning light on an obscure part of the roof caused an electrical fire that could gain spread rapidly, or had it not been detected at once. Whatever else happens in the Palace of Westminster,that noteworthy neo-Gothic pile on the Thames, one thing is fixed. Every hour of every day, and four or five members of the fire-safety team are patrolling the palace,hunting for flames. Related: Behind the scenes in Britain's crumbling Houses of Parliament in pictures Continue reading...
Source: guardian.co.uk