03 February 2007

Rosindell and road signs

It seems that Rosindell has a new hobby horse - and that is a ten minute rule bill to introduce signs bearing the names of “historic” towns rather than “dreadful” artificial administrative districts as he describes them.

Rosindell seems to be irked that Romford is signed as part of the London Borough of Havering ( a "typical 60s construct" he feels). "As I travel back after a busy week at Westminster to my home in Romford, within my home county of Essex, I enter the boundaries of Essex and Romford, but nowhere do I see a road sign alerting me to either place…..We must stop the erosion of local identities and restore the pride people naturally feel in belonging to a town, county or village……We must mandate local authorities to install signage indicating towns, and counties and villages, giving their names predominance over the administrative names…. Let's conserve our heritage so that future generations will know the distinct and real heritage of a Yorkshireman, a Middle Saxon, and a Lancastrian or, like me, a proud Essex lad."

Hmmm while there is no harm in having town signs, Rosindell seems to forget that Romford isn’t part of Essex and hasn’t been since 1965 (given also that he was born in 1966 that would make him a Londoner rather than a proud Essex lad!). There are quite a few like him that would rather us be back in Essex but (to me anyway) it is clear we have far more affinity with London than we do with Brentwood, Chelmsford, Southend or Basildon. I doubt going back to Essex would bring any benefit to Romford, Hornchurch or Upminster even if we had nice shiny new road signs.

6 comments:

Steve Bates said...

My first thought was this: does Rosindell have friends in the road sign business?

Over here, the controversy is often over naming public works after political figures. Our international airport in Houston is Bush Intercontinental (named after Poppy, not Junior). Those of us who objected that renaming it after a living Republican political figure was inappropriate were told we were a bunch of whiners. Imagine our smiles and their whines when a part of a major highway was later named after former Senator Lloyd Bentsen (D-TX, now deceased). Two can play that name game.

Hmm... I think I'll propose renaming one of our community vegetable gardens after Molly Ivins...

jams o donnell said...

Lloyd Bentsen was the running mate of Dukakis wasn't he? Add Ronald Reagan Airport and the USS Ronals Reagan too? Only one airport here is named after a person that I know of and that is John Lennon airport in Liverpool. I am not that bothered by it myself (thinks Lester Pearson and Grantley Adams too) but better to change the name when they are dead...

What underpins my MP's action is whether we should be part of London or Essec. We used to be part of Essex until the 60s and some think we should still be a part of it. Me? I still thing we hanve more in common with London than the towns of Essex. Ah well. His bill has no chance of becoming law anyway but he does annoy be.

Steve Bates said...

Indeed, jams, Bentsen was Dukakis's running mate. He's also the one who, in a famous debate with Poppy Bush's vice presidential candidate (and later veep) Dan Quayle, said "I knew John Kennedy. John Kennedy was a friend of mine. You're no John Kennedy." Quayle was a fool to introduce John Kennedy into the discussion as if the reference could help Quayle. But I could have ended that last sentence after the first four words.

Unlike the GOP, Democrats don't tend to have dynastic families of politicians. But Lloyd Bentsen's nephew Ken Bentsen was once my U.S. Representative, and he was both bright and diligent at the job. Unfortunately, he decided to run for Senate...

jams o donnell said...

I remember that. He put J Danforth firmly in his place. Not that it helped Dukakis beat Bush Sr in the end.. How about the Kennedys ? They seem to be want to be a dynasty? Here wee have some.. My parents former MP John Cryer sat in parliament with his mum Anne. We also have the Eagle sisters Angela and Maria. Meanwhile in Ireland the De Valera dynasty sseems to be going strong

Steve Bates said...

jams, you're right, the Kennedys made an attempt at a political dynasty, thanks to their father Joseph. But the series of tragedies everyone knows about afflicted so many of the family that ultimately only John achieved their father's goal of having a succession of his sons in the White House.

(It's embarrassing... you know a great deal more of US history than I know of UK history. Back in Mark Twain's day, American children were taught the kings of England... but not any more.)

jams o donnell said...

It would have happened were it not for Sihran Sihran surely? I doubt Teddy was ever a serious contender.

Having an uncle from Pennsylvania helped on the US history front but when the US is the bigger partner in the so called "special relationship" you get to know more!