New name change move 'doomed to failure'- says Campbell
A new bid to change the official name of the city from Londonderry to Derry is "doomed to failure", the DUP's Gregory Campbell told the 'Journal' last night.
Later today, at the monthly meeting of Derry City Council, Sinn Fein will urge councillors to press the British Privy Council to change the name of the city.
The issue has caused much controversy when brought before Council in the past with unionists claiming it is part of a bid to undermine their identity.
Sinn Fin Councillor Kevin Campbell, who will propose the motion, is urging unionist groups in the city to support the application to the Privy Council.
He says: “There is a perception amongst many citizens of our city that, rather than an expression of culture or historical accuracy, the London prefix is used in many instances to make a political statement. It is reinforced by the fact that most of the cultural and historical organisations identified with the unionist tradition feel perfectly comfortable with the use of the name ‘Derry’ to depict their organisations.”
However, Gregory Campbell says the motion will cause “unnecessary tension” and insists it will not receive the backing of the Privy Council without cross community support.
“We will be opposing this motion but even if it does get passed by the council I would not expect it to be supported by the Privy Council,” he said. “A body like the Privy Council would ask to see evidence of cross community support before making such a decision and I, for one, would make sure they would be aware that changing the name of this city has no cross community support whatsoever.”
Alderman Campbell said he was also opposed to Sinn Fin’s suggestion that the area inside the Walls could be known as the ‘Londonderry quarter’.
“This would only add to the confusion. It would result in a situation where unionists, the majority of which live outside the Walls, would have the name Derry foisted upon them and nationalists living inside the Walls would have the name Londonderry foisted upon them,” he said.
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Weather for Derry
Friday 24 May 2013
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Temperature: 5 C to 12 C
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