Robert Jobson commentary: Would Donald Trump let the White House fall into the same state of disrepair as Buckingham Palace?

Buckingham Palace is to undergo a £369 million overhaul
Reuters
Robert Jobson18 November 2016

It is much more than a whitewash overhaul - instead a 10-year building programme using British tradesmen and craftsmen.

It is entirely appropriate that Her Majesty will use the Best of British to rebuild the iconic national asset in the heart of the capital.

At £369 million the project is not cheap. But it is an investment in our future, our brand and our business.

It is particularly important in generating revenue in London's economy.

For those who say it is too much, I would say, possibly.

Buckingham Palace Interiors

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It is a huge sum. But the truism "You get what you pay for" has never been more relevant.

Would Donald Trump or President Obama have given their precious national symbol and home and head office of their Head of State a whitewash?

I doubt whether Congress or the Senate, like our Parliament, would fail to ratify spending if it was in the same state of disrepair as our Buckingham Palace.

And the same goes for ALL the official residences of our Heads of State around the world.

The work is to ensure that Buckingham Palace is fit for the Queen and future Kings.

The ten-year project to protect one of Britain’s most prestigious buildings and one of the country’s most popular attractions has now been given the green light by the Government.

It comes after an independent report by specialists concluded that without “urgent work” there is a “risk of serious damage” to the Palace through a devastating fire or water damage.

The Queen will stay in residence throughout the building works and it will be “business as usual” at the Palace.

It pulls in over half a million paying visitors and tourists during the annual Summer Opening, in addition to the millions more pounds each year for those who come to the capital to watch the traditional Changing of the Guard ceremony.

As I see it, while a huge sum of money, it is money well spent because it preserves the building for future generations; making it a palace fit for purpose for the next five decades.

For many years the Palace has been the number one attraction for foreign tourists, bringing in untold millions to the public purse.

For London and the capital's economy its very existence is a veritable money spinner.

Ensuring it is spick and span is important as a symbol of the British brand abroad.

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