French president Nicolas Sarkozy has announced that he is to demolish the Eiffel Tower. Its 7,300 tonnes of steel will be used in the construction of housing for France's poor and homeless.
"The President considers this a major step in fighting poverty and he is urging other G20 leaders to follow his lead and start demolishing old rubbishy buildings or structures like the tower to use the material to build houses for the poor," said a spokesperson.
The tower, constructed in the years 1887/1889 for the Exposition Universelle to mark the centennial celebrations of the French Revolution draws 7 million visitors annually which at 13 Euros per visitor drops 91 million Euros (approx $134 million) into the state's coffers.
"Peanuts!" the president called the amount, and added "Carla earns twice that annually singing on the Metro." (Carla is his wife Carla Bruni, and the Metro is the Paris underground transport rail system.)
He suggested that Gordon Brown should demolish Buckingham Palace, and, describing the Parthenon in Athens as dirty old stones that serve no purpose in their present state, he said that it too should be raised to the ground so that the stones could be used. Buckingham Palace he said smells of old carpets, cigarette smoke, cheddar cheese and 'orreebil fish and chips.
Asked by journalists what he would like President Obama to demolish he replied that it would be the American president's choice, but that Alaska would be a good start. "Because what purpose does it serve?" he wanted to know.
His harshest words were though for the Eiffel Tower. He called it a rusty eyesore and complained that its shadow darkens his WC so that he can't see to read his picture books when in there.
Demolition of the Eiffel Tower is to start immediately and France's poor and homeless are jamming the switchboard of Paris's city hall to apply for what Monsieur Sarkozy said would be called an "Eiffel Tower Free House."
He is still to announce where in Paris the houses will be erected.
