Commons Sense

House of Commons · Adjournment Debate

Public Landmarks Review

18 March 2021 · 2 other contributors

Opened by Gareth Bacon Con Orpington

Culture, Media & Sport

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Gareth Bacon raised concerns about public landmarks review in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.

Key points

  • Britain's heritage is under threat from left-wing rhetoric that seeks to rewrite history and undermine historical figures like Nelson and Churchill.
  • The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has set up a commission for diversity in public realms, which aims to change names of roads and remove statues.
  • The Minister has raised concerns about the composition and potential agenda of the Mayor's commission, advocating for retaining and explaining public monuments instead of removing them.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Gareth Bacon Con Orpington

Britain's heritage is under attack from a left-wing, anti-British rhetoric spreading through social media. This ideology seeks to rewrite British history and undermine the reputations of historical figures like Nelson and Churchill by focusing solely on their negative aspects without acknowledging their positive contributions. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has established a commission for diversity in public realms that aims to change names of roads and remove statues, which is seen as an attempt to rewrite British history. There are concerns about the lack of impartiality in the commission's membership and its impact on historical understanding.

Other contributors (2)
  • John Hayes Con South Holland and The Deepings

    Left-wing zealots seek to cancel our nation’s heroes by rewriting history, dividing society into exclusionary social tribes, and deriding colonial history. It is the duty of MPs to commemorate those who have been awarded high honours such as the Victoria Cross.

  • Tom Hunt Con Ipswich

    Churchill's legacy should not be questioned or redefined, and it is unfortunate that some are attempting to do so. The Labour party's stance on protecting war memorials and statues is unhelpful.

Government Response

Christopher Pincher

The Government recognises the importance of protecting Britain’s history, traditions, and heritage. It supports retaining and explaining public monuments rather than removing them. The Mayor of London's commission for diversity in the public realm is concerning due to its composition and potential agenda of dismantling historical landmarks. The Minister has written to the Mayor about this issue but awaits a response. He emphasises that any proposed removal of historic statues should be subject to planning permission or listed building consent. The Government will protect our national heritage from those who seek to remove or deface it, ensuring communities have a say in such matters.

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