The House of Lords could be cut from 775 members to 300 if was relocated in the north of England, says an independent peer.
John Mann, for 18 years Bassetlaw’s Labour MP, said: “All the peers who are just using it as their London dining club would stand down.
“And if you’re in your eighties you’re not really going to want to traipse all the way up north.”
The Lords racks up an annual £117milion bill for the taxpayer, and 20% of that goes into peers’ pockets because of generous £323 daily attendance allowances.
Peers reacted with fury when they were told by Michael Gove last week they would have to move miles away while Parliament is renovated,
They had hoped to shuffle 200 yards up the road to the QE2 conference centre where the Levelling Up Secretary is landlord.
But Mr Gove said he did not want them as tenants and suggested relocating them to such places Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland or Burnley.
Cabinet Office minister Lord True rebuked Mr Gove telling him: “I do not favour that proposition. The decisions on how to proceed are a matter for Parliament.”
And Tory peer Lord Cormack accused Mr Gove of a “freelance exercise by an intellectual flibbertigibbet.”
Lord Mann favours York which is central and has buildings which could be made secure.
He added: “And while we are there we could have a proper debate over whether peers should be elected.
“That’s not so much about ensuring we are fit for the 21st Century but to catch up with the 20th Century.”
Once peers return to Westminster Lord Mann says they should share dining rooms “which are half empty now” to cut costs”.
A report earlier this year said Parliament’s restoration could take up to 76 years and cost £22billion unless MPs and peers moved out entirely while it was going on.
But if they were not cluttering up the place rebuilding work would last 12 to 20 years and cost between £7 and £13billion.
MPs are still debating where they might go after a plan to build a new Commons chamber in Whitehall was vetoed.
Meanwhile the Palace continues to crumble. Roofs and windows leak, ancient wiring crackles alarmingly and chunks of masonry fall off causing safety concerns.
Nightly fire patrols now tour the building to protect it.
