Historic proposals to move Parliament to Manchester are being looked at by council bosses.

A taskforce is being established to find a suitable location for MPs when they move out of Westminster for its refurbishment.

It follows the headline-grabbing call by Blackley and Broughton MP Graham Stringer last year - arguing London already has enough advantages.

Over the next decade the crumbling palace of Westminster will need to be refurbished and currently the parties agree that is likely to mean moving MPs out.

Mr Stringer has now written to Manchester council chief executive Sir Howard Bernstein asking him to carry out a piece of work on the issue.

It would involve looking at potential locations within Greater Manchester to house the country’s 650 MPs.

In response, Sir Howard agreed that it was ‘worth a punt’ - and promised to start looking into it.

Can you think of anywhere in Manchester that would make a good temporary home for Parliament? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook or by emailing website@men-news.co.uk

Mr Stringer told the M.E.N. the idea had particular potency at the moment thanks to the Scottish referendum - which has seen repeated calls for greater devolution to Manchester and a shift of power out of London.

“It’s a long shot but the whole of the UK’s consitution is up in the air,” he said.

“There couldn’t be a better symbol than moving parliament to Manchester to show that the English regions are not going to be left out.

“Most regional MPs would like to get outside of Westminster and I think they would all support somewhere that wasn’t London.”

It is understood at least one senior Labour figure is particularly supportive of the idea.

The proposal adds to the chorus of voices calling for a major shift of money, power and status to cities outside of London.

On Monday we reported how Phillip Blond, a key adviser to David Cameron, wants all Greater Manchester’s £22.5bn public expenditure handed to the region. He is one of many to demand a Greater Manchester mayor.

Last year Patrick Diamond, a former Labour adviser, called for a ‘massive shift of power’ out of the capital and suggested moving the Royal Opera House and the House of Lords north.

The Chancellor has already promised a wave of devolution to Manchester in his autumn statement.

Can you think of anywhere in Manchester that would make a good temporary home for Parliament? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook or by emailing website@men-news.co.uk