York suggested as possible temporary home for Parliament

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said Parliament might shift to York while the Palace of Westminster is repaired and renovated.

In a letter, he noted the Government was considering the option of establishing a base in this city, adding: “it would therefore make sense to consider this as a potential location”.

The move, if it does go ahead, is not expected to take place until around 2025.

The idea to choose York featured in a letter from the Prime Minister to David Goldstone and Sarah Johnson, who are overseeing the Westminster restoration.

But Johnson said the case for the House of Commons and House of Lords remaining in place should also be considered.

In his letter, which has been seen by the BBC, the Prime Minister said: “We all have a responsibility to protect the Palace of Westminster as a functioning building and as the iconic UNESCO World Heritage site that is the home and symbol of our democracy.

“The current situation is unsustainable given the serious risk of a major fire and the need to upgrade the services throughout the building.”

Before Parliament agreed in 2018 to approve the Westminster renovation works, which would involve emptying the building, MPs had come up with alternative plans that would have seen only a partial vacating of the historic property.

But this would have meant builders needing to work around the Commons schedule.

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