A series of donors have pledged to help cover the cost of restoring the currently-dismantled clock mechanism for the night. Speaking to BBC One’s Breakfast on Tuesday, Johnson said the government was “working up a plan so people can bung a bob for a Big Ben bong”. Asked about the idea, the PM’s spokesman said: “If the public want Big Ben to bong, and the money is raised then that is great. We will make sure that whatever happens in regard to Big Ben’s bongs, 31 January is properly marked. It is a significant moment in our history.”Pressed on whether an official plan actually existed, he said: “There isn’t a specific government fund.”

Source: The Guardian January 14, 2020 15:03 UTC