Richard Holden, MP for North West Durham, has spoken in the House of Commons to ask for ministers to support me and other local MPs to ask that they exclude all statues and monuments to those who fought for Britain from their monument review.
In June, Councillor Simon Henig, Labour Leader of Durham County Council, announced that the council would be conducting an audit of all statues and monuments, following protests across the UK. Richard, along with Conservative MP for Bishop Auckland Dehenna Davison and Conservative MP for Sedgefield Paul Howell, wrote to the council to request that any monument that honoured those who have fought for and died for Britain be immediately excluded from any review.
In correspondence to the Conservative MPs, the council have repeatedly to back their request. During defence questions, Richard asked that the Armed Forces Minister to back the Durham MPs’ call, ruling out reviewing monuments and statues of people who have defended our nation. Responding, James Heappey MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces, stated his agreement with Richard and the North East Conservative MP’s and voiced his support for their campaign, saying that we must not forget the sacrifices made and that the statues and monuments should be protected.
Commenting, Richard said:
“We’ve just had the 205th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo and the 75th anniversary of VE Day and we should be doing all we can to ensure we honour and remember those that fought for us, died for us and protected all of us. Instead, Durham County Council have refused to rule out the incredibly simple request of excluding monuments to these brave men and women from their monument review.
“I asked the Secretary of State to intervene as it’s so important that all monuments to those who fought for us be respected and excluded from any kind of ridiculous review. The review of these monuments is deeply insensitive and, crucially, is not what the constituents of North West Durham and neighbouring constituencies want.
“I am pleased that the Minister gave his support for my campaign and I will continue to work with the Ministry of Defence going forward in order that we always remember and honour everyone who fought for us, and do not seek to remove them from our history and our communities.”
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