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Backing for "Bede on the Block"

The Sunderland Echo says that its campaign to get a statue of The Venerable Bede put on a vacant plinth in Trafalgar Square has won backing from a Government minister.

Janet Anderson, who is the minister responsible for overseeing the nominations, has told the paper she fully supports Bede and will be making her views known to the panel – headed by Rumpole of the Bailey creator Sir John Mortimer – which will decide which figure from the past 2000 years deserves the honour.

The Echo’s petition backing the Bede, was signed by 7,226 readers and was handed over to Mrs Anderson by two local MPs.

The Bede was a seventh century Benedictine monk from the North East who was the first major figure in English literature and England’s first great historian. He also popularised the dating of events by the birth of Christ – which gave us the Millennium.

Mrs Anderson, who was born in the North East, said: “I am very happy to give this my support. I will pass it on to Sir John Mortimer and ask him to give it serious consideration.”

MP for Houghton and Washington East, Fraser Kemp, said: “There is no other area in the country where there has been such overwhelming support for one nomination.”

Rival nominations range from Princess Diana and Ghandi to Posh Spice and David Beckham. Recently, the name of Sir Stanley Matthews was added to the list.

A decision is expected in the summer.

To see our earlier story on the Echo’s “Bede on the Block” campaign click here

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