Boris Johnson says he is planning a ‘bung a bob for a Big Ben bong’ crowdfunding campaign to celebrate Brexit after Parliament rules out special chimes on January 31 over the £500,000 cost
- The Prime Minister said Government was ‘working up’ a scheme for January 31
- It would see the public donate cash to hear the iconic bell ring out for Brexit
- House of Commons Commission yesterday decided the costs were too great
- Temporary floor for ringing the 13-ton bell had already been removed
- MPs decided the £500,000 total cost of the bell ringing was not justified
- But Tory MP Mark Francois said he would go up and ring it himself if needed
Boris Johnson is planning a crowdfunding campaign to make sure Big Ben rings out to mark Brexit, he revealed today, after Parliamentary authorities baulked at the £500,000 cost.
The Prime Minister said the Government was ‘working up’ a scheme that would allow people to donate cash to underwrite the iconic peal at 11pm on January 31.
The 13.7-tonne bell has been largely silent since 2017 while renovation works are carried out on the Elizabeth Tower which houses it, sounding only for important events such as New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Mr Johnson spoke after a House of Commons Commission yesterday dismissed the proposal for the bell to sound, after MPs were informed that costs had soared to half a million from an original estimate of £120,000.
He told BBC Breakfast: ‘We are working up a plan so people can bung a bob for a Big Ben bong.’
The campaign for the bell to ring at 11pm on January 31 – Brexit eve – had been spearheaded by Tory MP Mark Francois. But a House of Commons Commission yesterday dismissed the bid over soaring costs
The Prime Minister said the Government was ‘working up’ a scheme that would allow people to donate cash to underwrite the iconic peal at 11pm on January 31.
The campaign for the bell to ring at 11pm on January 31 – Brexit day – had been spearheaded by Tory MP Mark Francois.
But costs have soared because the temporary floor which had been put in place to strike the 13-ton bell at the new year has already been removed and would need to be re-installed.
One source told The Telegraph: ‘No one in the meeting thought it was worth spending £500,000 on having Big Ben strike the hour on one occasion.
‘When you consider what else that money could be spent on, it’s very hard to make an argument in favour of it.’
But Mr Francois did not share that view, saying to the paper: ‘What was the cost of it chiming on New Year’s Eve? What was the cost of it chiming on Remembrance Sunday?
‘I’ve already offered to go up Big Ben myself, ably assisted by Bill Cash, to ring the bell myself to save money.
‘If all else fails, the BBC must have a recording of Big Ben chiming they could play at 11pm at no cost whatsoever to taxpayers.’
Mr Francois said: ‘What was the cost of it chiming on New Year’s Eve? What was the cost of it chiming on Remembrance Sunday? I’ve already offered to go up Big Ben myself, ably assisted by Bill Cash, to ring the bell myself to save money. If all else fails, the BBC must have a recording of Big Ben chiming they could play at 11pm at no cost whatsoever to taxpayers’
Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage had planned to host a lavish party in Parliament Square to watch Big Ben’s bongs on January 31 ring out.
Ten thousand Leave supporters were expected to attend but it is now unclear how the Commission’s decision will affect the plans.
The Elizabeth Tower has been undergoing renovations and the ringing of Big Ben has been prohibited since 2017 to protect the workers’ hearing, except on the special occasions to which Mr Francois referred.