‘Smashing Westminster’s glass ceiling’ is generally hailed as a good thing – except when it is the taxpayer left holding the bill. In the heady days of the new millennium, Portcullis House (PCH) was opened at a cost of £235million. As the newest part of the parliamentary estate, it was expected to last for 200 years when it opened in 2001: a shiny new modern temple of democratic delight.

Yet, barely two decades on, the place increasingly seems to be falling apart. The building’s distinctive glazed roof has recently had a number of issues, including broken panes, falling bolts and a number of high-profile leaks. Just like the government, eh? Walking through PCH last month, Steerpike was amused to see yet another sign spring up, declaring that yet more work was now being undertaken on the r

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