I'm in a truly unique location.
Only a handful of times in history has temporary scaffolding enabled people to stand here — outside the clockface, of one of the world's most famous landmarks.
We're here to show you how the clocktower known as "Big Ben" is getting a 21st century makeover.
It's one of our most, sort of, loved buildings as a country.
It represents the country around the world so, we've got to get it right.
To bring up this building to the 21st century, it's essential to maintain it for future generations.
Big Ben doesn't belong to one single person, it belongs to everyone.
It's gonna be enormously rewarding when we get to take down the scaffolding and get to show everyone what we've been working on for the last few years.
Rising dramatically above the Palace of Westminster — in the political heart of the UK's capital — the Elizabeth Tower has witnessed some of the most significant moments in British history — standing as a symbol of resilience through two world wars to emerge as an enduring beacon of democracy.
While the tower is widely referred to as "Big Ben", this name actually refers to the clock's main bell — which first marked the hour on the tower's completion back in 1859. In the 160 years since — as London has evolved from the capital of the British Empire into one of the world's leading financial centres — the tower has been subject to weathering, pollution and wartime bomb damage.
