Statue Of Nelson Mandela In Trafalgar Square

EDM number 1577 in 2003-04, proposed by Peter L Pike on 22/07/2004.

That this House notes the decision of the Westminster City Council Planning Committee on 9th July that the erection of any structure on the North Terrace of Trafalgar Square would be unacceptable in principle; further notes that this decision is not an indication that they are opposed to the proposal to erect a statue of Nelson Mandela within Trafalgar Square at an agreeable location within the context of the square that is acceptable both to the Planning Committee and to the Nelson Mandela Statue Fund; welcomes the statement by Westminster City Council that they are keen to work with the Nelson Mandela Statue Fund with a view to agreeing a location for the statue within the square; and further welcomes the indication that an application for planning permission for the erection of the statue on the east side of the Square in front of South Africa House and to the north of its main entrance, subject to refinement of the detail design of the statue and its plinth; and urges both Westminster City Council and the Nelson Mandela Statue Fund to reach agreement so that the statue can be erected in its fit and proper place, which would serve as both a marker of the historic role the Square played at each stage of Mandela's political battle and as a right and proper honour from the British people to this international politician who had led the world stage in defeating apartheid, breaking down racist barriers and, more recently, in raising the profile of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa.

This motion has been signed by a total of 67 MPs.