Party leaders throw their weight behind Hoard campaign
POLITICAL heavyweights today got behind the fund-raising campaign to buy the Staffordshire Hoard.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown, pictured right, Leader of the Opposition David Cameron and Nick Clegg, Liberal Democrat leader, have backed The Art Fund's campaign to save the Staffordshire Hoard for the West Midlands.
The campaign has until April 17 to raise the £3.3 million needed to save the Anglo-Saxon treasure discovered in the region last July.
If successful, the Hoard will be jointly acquired by The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, in Hanley, and Birmingham Museums and Art Gallery.
Mr Brown said: "I hope the money can be raised to keep it where it belongs."
Mr Cameron said: "The treasures unearthed are simply magical."
Mr Clegg said: "I wish this campaign every success, so future generations can learn about our rich Anglo-Saxon history."
Part of the Hoard will be displayed at The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, between February 13 and March 7.
The museum will display about 80 items from the find, including gold crosses.
The Art Fund has announced the total raised at the end of the first week of the campaign to save the Hoard is £553,500.
This figure includes an initial grant of £300,000 from The Art Fund and £100,000 donated by both Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent city councils. The other £53,500 has been raised by public donation.
6 Comments
View all
by Geoff, Ex Cop
Tuesday, January 26 2010, 2:33PM
“Gavin,I have been on your Beano of a web site.
The Tooting national front under Smiffy had more members and i see clearly why.”
by Councillor Gavin Webb, Staffordshire
Tuesday, January 26 2010, 12:50PM
“Geoff. Visit lpuk.org.
Barter? Nope, too inefficient. How about returning to a hard currency like gold and silver, rather than the paper money that's backed by nothing and that's printed at whim by Government, and which leads to inflation and de facto the reduction in the value of our money.”
by Geoff, Ex Cop
Tuesday, January 26 2010, 12:13PM
“Tell us Gavin, What would your party do? ? ? ?
You are dieing to tell us, barter with daisy chains perhaps.”
by Councillor Gavin Webb, Staffordshire
Tuesday, January 26 2010, 11:09AM
“Shirley. You are right - the fact that the State is able to make claim to this gold is an example of private property rights violations.
This is nothing new however. Government and State have historically trampled on folks private property rights. For example, compulsory purchase orders on houses when those in positions of power (politicians and bureaucrats) wish to build roads, or indeed clear an area to give multinational house-building corporations an opportunity to profit from building houses that are frankly of a worse quality than those that were ripped down.
In cases of CPO, it is the private property owner that loses out. Their house is stolen from them by Government and they often cannot afford to buy another. They often have to rent which for many is a climb down from being a property owner, particularly if they owned their property outright.”
by Councillor Gavin Webb, Staffordshire
Tuesday, January 26 2010, 11:01AM
“Taxpayers' money should not be used for this at all - not even the initial £200,000 from Stoke and Birmingham councils. All money should come from voluntary donation, particularly at a time when the public sector is screaming poverty.
We should be looking to reducing the overall tax burden for individuals so that they are more free to decide for themselves where they wish to spend or even donate their money. With Government stealing a large percentage of one's earning through direct and indirect taxation, this freedom is restricted, and as such, individuals are mere slaves to the State.”