MPs and their staff have been offered a move to warmer offices as Parliament struggles to cope with Britain’s cold snap.
Commons authorities relocated some people whose buildings were “experiencing heating loss” on the sprawling Westminster estate.
It’s understood heating has broken down in parts of the Victorian-era 1 Parliament Street, which was fully refurbished in the 1980s.
There are also some problems in the 1980s-built Richmond House, it is thought. The BBC reported 150 people could be affected. One senior shadow minister was spotted camped out with her team in an atrium after their heating appeared to break down.
Parliamentary business is not affected and some staff have been given portable heaters.
Fortunately for MPs, there is room in the complex to move somewhere warmer - but not everyone is so lucky across the UK.
Around 2,800 homes in Shetland have spent a second night without power in freezing conditions, with some facing only being reconnected at the end of the week.
The Met Office extended a yellow warning for snow and ice covering northern Scotland and north-east England until noon on Friday.
Minus 17.3C was recorded at Braemar in Aberdeenshire on Monday into Tuesday, making it the coldest place in the UK for the second night in a row.
Despite the freezing temperatures, the government will within days launch an £18m publicity blitz urging Brits to cut their energy use to reduce reliance on expensive gas.
The Help for Households campaign urges people to turn down their boiler flow temperature from 75C to 60C - saving £160 a year off bills for a typical home.
Families will also be urged to turn down radiators in empty rooms, and draught-proof windows and doors.
A Parliamentary spokesman said: “Due to the extremely cold weather and the pressure placed on heating systems, some buildings on the Parliamentary Estate are currently experiencing heating loss.
“Maintenance teams are working hard to rectify the situation and minimise the impact to users.
“We will ensure that those working in affected areas are able to continue their work elsewhere on the Estate”.
