Thread by @SamCoatesTimes

Here is a short tale about the cost - £££ in future tax bills - caused by Theresa May’s caution & reluctance to get on with decisions. If you’re in a cheery Saturday mood, perhaps don’t read on as it’s a 😐🤔🔥🤭😡 story - for the faint hearted Saturday Live is on Radio 4 now

Urine leaking thru the ceilings ☔️
Offices where there’s no escape in the event of fire ⚰️
Air vents that flames can travel through in minutes 💨🔥🌪
Not many in SW1 dispute Houses of Parliament need massive refurbishment costing £3-5bn (tho some do). The question is when.

Committees of MPs and peers have looked at the problem and with the help of expensive consultants concluded a £4bn refit is needed during which everyone would vacate the Palace. Not everyone agrees. There will be a free vote in the Commons. This seems fair enough. 👍🏻

This was meant to happen in Autumn of 2016. Soon after TM became PM.The big report was published. Options drawn up. People assumed TM wd be in favour of the difficult decision to move out. They were wrong. ☹️

In fact people around TM were split 💥and it wasn’t clear what she wanted. Some wanted her to get on with it. Others felt it might cause too much turbulence. So it got delayed and delayed. Government controls the timing of votes - and this went into the “too difficult” basket

It seems Theresa May in the last 10 days has settled on a plan. Somewhat to the surprise of Andrea Leadsom, the lead cabinet minister on the Commons refurbishment, No10 & whips announced MPs would be offered a vote on NOT MAKING A DECISION AT ALL in this Parliament 🙄

No10’s argument seems is that the £4 billion bill is too much at this time. The problem is that delay will simply push it up - but becomes someone else’s problem. 🤫

So there will be a vote this week on what to do - no decision, decision now or a Leadsom-brokered halfway house. So for today Times I’ve calculated the cost of what delaying the decision means for the taxpayer 🏧🏧🏧

thetimes.co.uk/article/24f742…

By delaying the vote from Autumn 2016 to now, whatever MPs decide on Wednesday, construction costs have gone up £150m. 🏗🏗🏗Then there going to have to be at least £70m (and maybe £100m) or patchwork rolling repairs before the work starts ⚒⚒⚒

In other words Theresa May’s reluctance to make a decision on when MPs can vote on what to do will cost the taxpayer a minimum of £230 million and probably more.🤯

Meanwhile Richmond House, the old Department of Health building next door to Parliament lies empty for now - this will be where MPs (eventually) go

That’s the cost of indecision, folks. And Theresa May will miss Wednesday’s vote because she’s on a trip to China. Meaning she won’t vote for “her” delay plan. Which feels a fitting end to this story.
✈️👋🏻🙄