lep.co.
uk
Your Saturday Evening Post has
Newfeatures...newlook...muchmoretoread...
Lancashire, Ben, it’s
HERE!!!
A quick Right, so
geography let me think...
guide for it’s north of
Watford so it
a lost must be in
minister Scotland!
by Chris Visser
chris.visser@lep.co.uk
CULTURE Secretary Ben
Bradshaw travelled the
world as a former BBC cor-
respondent.
Indeed, he gained plaudits for
his coverage of the fall of the
Berlin Wall in 1989 but it seems
that since becoming a Govern-
ment minister, the ex-reporter
may need to broaden his geo-
graphic knowledge back home.
It seems the Labour minister has no
idea where Lancashire is because it’s
the second time in a month he has de-
scribed Manchester as being part of
the county.
When asked about his view on the
future of Preston’s National Football
Museum, which could be set to move
to Manchester, the Westminster-born
minister, who grew up in Norwich,
said: “We will support it whether it
remains in Preston or moves to
Manchester but it’s great that it will
stay in Lancashire, with the fantastic
football heritage the region has.
“The Government has been a
long-term supporter of the Nation-
al Football Museum and we will
continue to provide our share of
funding.
“I urge the museum to continue
to work with the football authori-
ties to help secure further invest-
ment.
“We want the National Foot-
ball Museum to be enjoyed by
football fans for generations to
come and have a secure long-
term future.”
But Ribble Valley and Ful-
wood MP Nigel Evans reacted
angrily to the comments.
The Conservative said: “For
the Secretary of State for Culture,
Media and Sport to repeatedly refer
to Manchester as being in Lancashire
is ridiculous. It is a comment designed
to dismiss concerns but serves only to
BEN BRADSHAW:
The Culture
Secretary has
twice altered the
geography of
England
prove that he honestly does not know
what he is talking about.
“I have written to the Conservative
Culture, Media and Sport team and I
am assured that they would consider
the issue in its proper context. In the
meantime, I will keep up the pressure
on Ben Bradshaw to give this decision
some actual consideration – his utter-
ances thus far do not suggest that he
has.”
Deepdale ward Coun Terry
Evening Post, Friday, October 2, 2009 3
changed
Map: visitlancashire.com
That bit down
there is Greater
Manchester...
(the clue is in
the word
‘Manchester’)
PRESTON
it’s where
Manchester
IS and
Preston ISN’T
MANCHESTER
Save
Join the campaign to keep our
football treasures in Preston.
ur
Please sign this form and send
to:
Chris Visser,
Lancashire Evening Post,
Oliver’s Place, Eastway
PRESTON
PR2 9ZA
Museum
I, the undersigned, petition the Prime
Minister to keep the National Football
Museum in Preston
Name:
Address:
previous stories
Cartwright, lep.co.uk
where the muse-
um is based, added: “He ● Tycoon Hemmings: 'Don't
needs a geography lesson. steal football museum'
Manchester has not been in ● Preston set to lose
Lancashire since 1974 when National Football Museum
local government was reor-
ganised.” ground in Manchester.
Preston Council deputy leader “It was being used as shorthand,
Coun Eric Fazackerley added: nothing more. We are very well aware
“Manchester is not in Lan- of the different counties and councils
cashire. It’s a comment coming that cover the North West.”
from centralised Government David Borrow, Labour MP for
who comment about areas South Ribble, said of Manchester:
they know nothing about.” “It’s in historic Lancashire.”
But the minister’s office hit Last month, the Department for
back. In a statement, his de- Culture, Media and Sport said in a
partment said: “Lancashire, as statement: “The planned move to
Evening Post readers will Manchester will secure the long-term
know, is also the name of the historic future of the National Football Muse-
county covering much of the North um.
West of England and it is still used in “Lancashire is one of football’s
this sense in many guises, not least the heartlands and it’s great that the mu-
county cricket club that has its home seum will stay in the region.”