The dome may be dumped

MPs Give Millennium Exhibition Thumbs Down

They have put down a Commons Early Day Motion noting the "severity of the financial problems inherited from the previous government in health, education and transport". They argue that the Exhibition has "lower priority than these areas and accordingly calls for its cancellation".

The motion coincides with a demand to Tony Blair on the front page of The Sun newspaper to "dump the dome". The Millenium Dome, to mark the year 2000, is due to be built on wasteland in Greenwich, southeast London. The Sun calls on Mr Blair to "axe this monstrous folly".

Immediately after taking power, the Government launched an urgent review of plans for the exhibition. At the time, the National Heritage Secretary, Chris Smith, said that he wanted the review to reach its conclusions within a month.

Mr Smith was sharply criticised by his predecessor Virginia Bottomley, who said that Labour had been "closely involved" with the Greenwich decision. She said that there was a "brilliant opportunity to celebrate in our capital city at Greenwich - the place from which time is measured".

One option Mr Smith is said to be considering is moving the millennium events to Birmingham. Birmingham was one of the original bidders for the national project.