Wednesday, December 06, 2006

The Daniel Finkelstein Bridge

In todays Times that very nice man Danny Finkelstein has written a compelling piece about the pointlessness of Downing Street's e-petitions. The column has a cautionary tale about a petition in Hungary to name a bridge that proved a large waste of time (and presumably money). Danny called on his readers to get Ringo Starr a Knighthood, and although it doesn't appear in the online version, in the paper copy the column closed by saying:
"Come on. It's not as though I am asking you to name a bridge after me or something"
Well you know what Danny, I think that's actually a great idea. It's still in the "Approval stage" at Downing Street, but I have set up the following petition.
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to name the proposed Thames Gateway Bridge the Daniel Finkelstein Bridge.
The proposed bridge in the Thames Gateway connecting Beckton in the north with Thamesmead in the south should be named the "Daniel Finkelstein Bridge" after the eminent political commentator and columnist.
I have this feeling it's going to be rejected though.

N.B. Just in case someone accuses me of arse licking, read the column first and it will become clear that I'm taking the piss.

5 comments:

Croydonian said...

There are a goodly number of petitions that have been accepted which are infinitely sillier than your proposal.

Jeremy Jacobs said...

Can we have a petition to remove that piece of nonsense on the 4th plinth in Trafalgar Square?

It ought to be replaced by a statue of a Battle of Britain pilot.

Anonymous said...

I'm wondering what name was chosen for the Hungarian bridge.

Anonymous said...

As it happens, I came up with this idea (not the Finkelstein Bridge obviously but something bizarre) a few weeks ago.

Damned Fink.

RS

http://reactionarysnob.blogspot.com/2006/11/google-bombing.html

Andrew Ian Dodge said...

Yes those petitions are silly. I think its a way of getting more people to hit the site as they worried other sites like Guido were getting more hits.