MPs and staff have moved to warmer offices as parliament struggles to weather the freeze

Heating systems are struggling to cope with the cold in parts of creaky Westminster Estate - with some staff and MPs being offered portable heaters and relocation to other parts of the building

People having a snowball fight outside Parliament on Monday (

Image: Justin Ng / Avalon)

MPs and their staff have been offered to move to warmer offices as Parliament struggles to weather the UK cold snap.

City authorities have relocated some people whose buildings were “suffering from heating” on the vast Westminster Estate.

The heating is believed to have failed in parts of Victorian 1 Parliament Street, which was completely refurbished in the 1980s.

There are also some problems in the Richmond House, built in the 1980s, it is believed. The BBC reported that 150 people could be affected. A high-ranking shadow minister was spotted camping out with her team in an atrium after their heater appeared to fail.

Parliamentary business is unaffected and some staff have been provided with portable heaters.

Fortunately for MPs, there is room in the complex to move to a warmer location - but not everyone across the UK is so lucky.

Around 2,800 homes in Shetland went without power for a second night in freezing conditions, with some not being reconnected until the end of the week.

A scene in Shetland, where thousands of homes are without electricity (

Picture:

HM COAST GUARD)