Actively working to preserve the integrity of Yorkshire
Yorkshire-born Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles marked St George's Day with a formal acknowledgement of England's traditional counties in the life of the nation.
"The tapestry of England’s counties binds our nation together. This government has binned the arbitrary Government Office euro-regions, and instead, we are championing England’s traditional local identities which continue to run deep.
"Administrative restructuring by previous governments has sought to suppress and undermine such local identities. Today, on St George’s Day, we commemorate our patron saint and formally acknowledge the continuing role of our traditional counties in England’s public and cultural life."
Flagging up the Boundary
With impeccable timing, the Association of British Counties has also just published their beautiful new map of Yorkshire. We have the large version in our Yorkshire Map section. More details can be found on ABC website.
Rupert Barnes Vice-Chairman of the Association of British Counties commented on the Government's announcement:
"The counties are the basic tapestry on which countless generations have made their lives. They have shaped our identities and our view of ourselves and have remained a constant throughout centuries of change to become a vital part of British culture, geography and heritage.
"The counties predate any transient lines drawn for convenience or administration and predate the kingdom itself, rooted in history and cultural identity, so that the ancient counties are of the people not of the state. Statutes on administration have respectfully left the ancient counties alone. This pattern of the counties brought down to us through the centuries then is the pattern around which the nation has grown and grown great, and worthy of celebration."
The Government's timing could not be better for our campaign. Perhaps we could ask the Rt Hon Gentleman to join in!