Sir Winston Churchill died 50 years ago today, but his grandson says many people nowadays think Churchill is a “dog that sells insurance” on the TV.
Sir Nicholas Soames MP said the United States and France “revere” Britain’s war-time leader and that more needs to be done to remember him in his home country.
“I go to America a lot and in America he is still truly regarded as a hero,” Sir Nicholas told Sky News in an exclusive interview to mark the 50th anniversary of Churchill’s death.
“Here there are a lot of people who think Churchill is a dog that sells insurance. A man is never a prophet in his own country. Mention the name Churchill in America and they still love him and revere him.”
Sir Nicholas, who was 16 years old when his grandfather died, added that Churchill “wouldn’t have coped” with modern Westminster politics.
He said: “He wasn’t a figure for modern politics, in much the same way as Queen Victoria wasn’t a figure for modern kingship.
“He didn’t like television, he wouldn’t have coped with television.
“He was a man of his age. I think he would have loathed and had absolute contempt for the way so much is run in politics nowadays… the spin.
“He was completely authentic, which is why people warmed to him and rallied to him.”
When Churchill died on 24 January 1965 the Queen took the decision to grant a state funeral to her first prime minister.
He was the only commoner to be given such an honour in the 20th Century and only the second in history, after the Duke of Wellington.
Sir Nicholas added: “It was such a moving day, it was so extraordinary. People looked so sad. I have never before seen anything like it and I don’t suppose one will again on that scale.”
To mark the 50th anniversary of Churchill’s funeral the boat which carried his coffin down the Thames will re-trace its journey on Friday, stopping at Parliament on its way.
Source Article from https://uk.news.yahoo.com/hes-not-tv-dog-call-churchill-legacy-032227135.html
He's Not A TV Dog! Call For Churchill Legacy
No comments:
Post a Comment