PARLIAMENTARY EARLY DAY MOTION
CONDUCT OF THE HONOURABLE MEMBER FOR NEATH AND THE WELSH DRAGON (26 April 1998)

That this House condemns the proposals by the Welsh Office Minister, the honourable Member for Neath, to replace Wales's noble Red Dragon with a red kite which is nothing more than a thieving scavenger; notes that the dragon has been, sincethe reign of King Vortigern in the 5th century, an exotic, fiery and powerful symbol, in whose name Owain Glyndwr fought the English in 1400, which provided Henry VII's motto at Bosworth Field 'The Red Dragon is our inspiration' and under whose colours thousands of soldiers of the Royal Welch Fusiliers died in two world wars; disagrees with the honourable Member's idiosyncratic view that 'Modern Wales is about Manic Street Preachers and Catatonia'; questions both his judgement and knowledge of Welsh history and culture; deplores the considerable public expense which the banning of the Welsh Dragon will entail; and suggests that the Red Dragon will be remembered and loved long after the honourable Member for Neath and the Manic Street Preachers have been forgotten.

Sponsored by:
Mr Owen Paterson (Conservative)