THE House of Lords would be welcomed "most warmly to God's Own County" - the Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu has said.

The Sunday Times reported the Prime Minister is considering moving the second chamber to York - and politicians suggested it could be build on the York Central site.

The Archbishop - who sits in the House of Lords - said moving the chamber to York would do members "the power of good".

He said: “The House of Lords is mainly a Revising Chamber and I would have thought relocating to York during the refurbishment would do all of us the power of good.

"After all, York was the capital city of England from 1298 to 1304.

"We would welcome them most warmly to God’s Own County.

"The LNER train takes 1 hour and 50 minutes from York to London.”

Dr John Sentamu was the UK's first black Archbishop when enthroned in 2005.

He is the Primate of England and Metropolitan, a member of the House of Lords and a Privy Councillor.

The Rt Rev Stephen Cottrell, who takes over from the Most Rev Dr John Sentamu at Archbishop of York in June, joked that he will have " a large garden available in York where a suitable marquee could be erected for these purposes" - but raised concerns about moving the Lords away from the House of Commons.