Blogging Labour MP Tom Watson made a belated post today about the Conservatives' proposed sell-off of British Waterways canalside property, (which I mentioned passim). Basically he's (quelle surprise) agin it, though of course his being a Labourite means there might be tribal reasons for his opposition. What I found interesting was that he's an MPs with a historic narrow canal in his constituency, and thus he has a kosher opinion to pitch. Albeit that he was slow to catch on, commenting on a Guardian story of February, and that, itself, was commenting on things I myself commented on several months ago.
I wrote last week that I'd be interested to see a list of MPs who had a real, live, navigable waterway in their consituency (tidal waters and the open sea don't count, sorry) and Tom Watson is of that number. His local canals (including the late, straight Tame Valley) are perhaps a little dull, but they are real one and historic, and an essential part of the BCN, and he has every right to comment on behalf of waterways users. I was puzzled by his reference to a 'leaking' Hampstead bridge, though. I didn't realise there were any canals in Hampstead.
In the interests of party balance, here's an MP who's more at the heart of the canal restoration movement: Michael Fabricant of Lichfield, who's done sterling service supporting the restoration of the Lichfield & Hatherton Canal. Unlike Watson, poor old Fabricant has to endure a name that sounds faintly derogatory (it sounds like 'fabrication'), but he's a waterways enthusiast. Plus he has a hairstyle and dress sense like a genuine boater!
He means Hamstead in Birmingham (probably the Piercy Aqueduct) - not Hampstead in London, or the Hampstead Lane Canal that forms part of the Medway Navigation.
Richard (who never thought he'd find himself agreeing with Tom Watson on anything)
Posted by: Richard Fairhurst | Wednesday, 13 April 2005 at 09:31 AM