John McDonnell says the Queen should ‘consider’ chipping in to fund Buckingham Palace repairs

JOHN MCDONNELL says if the Royal Family wanted to contribute to Buckingham Palace repairs, he "wouldn't send back the cheque".

Although the shadow chancellor said he backed the decision to fund the repairs, he said the Royals should think about helping out with the financing of it.

"If they wanted to make a contribution, I certainly wouldn't send the cheque back," he told the Andrew Marr Show this morning.

"It's a public building, it’s a heritage building, we have to invest in it to preserve it," he said. "If they wanted to make a contribution, I certainly wouldn't send the cheque back."

Mr McDonnell also said that the building should be opened up to the public more, and that it showed the Government did have more money to spend if it could afford this.

"It just goes to show… When we need the money for buildings… we can afford it," he said.

The Palace is due to receive £369m for "urgent repairs" to the estate, but the Queen won't move out while it takes place.

The Government confirmed it would wave through a rise in the Sovereign Grant in a 10-year repair job.

The Shadow Chancellor, who is a Republican, said that he would back the move, saying it was a historic building that needed to be looked after.

Meanwhile, Labour's Shadow Business Secretary, Clive Lewis, said he would personally like to see the Queen put in money to fund it.

"I wouldn’t have said personally that Buckingham Palace was a priority," he told ITV's Peston on Sunday this morning.

"I think the Queen could contribute quite a bit... she’s one of the wealthiest people in the country. Why not?"

Labour MP and former Shadow Education Secretary backed him up. "Of course there should be contributions from the Royal Family," he said.

Even Theresa Villiers, the former Northern Ireland Secretary seemed to agree. "In the past, very often the Royal Family have contributed to these kinds of projects," she said.

Philip Hammond, the Chancellor, defended the Government's decision to increase funding to support the repairs.

"This is a grade one listed building, an important and iconic monument… supporting Britain's hugely important tourism industry," he said.

"It is frankly a hazard, there is a fire risk, a flood risk. It’s never an easy decision to make but like the Palace of Westminster.

"Sometimes we have to make these difficult long-term decisions."