Should Commerce Come Before Archaeology?

[moreno]

Radio 4 PM 5:30pm

Have a listen, should be interesting.

[moreno]

Well done Mike! A bit longer and Melton's uninformed stance would have been shown to be untenable! Special mention was made to the archaeologist (you know who you are) who received the "long live Eric Pickles" response to his e-mail. :face-approve:

[Oxbeast]

Yes, well done Mike, and he even managed to resist a couple of easy body blows which may have been for the best. The councillor pointed out thet 'they had just found a big city in Egypt, using GIS and that', and why couldn't they just do that here. Mr Heyworth managed not to point out that finding a site and understanding it are not the same thing.

[kevin wooldridge]

I understand that there is going to be a letter in the Times tomorrow signed by the great and good of UK archaeology......Interesting that Councillor Melton mentioned that European law was a stumbling block (thankfully!) to the implementation of his professed intention. This was raised when the Locality Bill was first published as a White Paper - that it was at odds with European law and UK commitments to international treaties on heritage and environment management. As I can't imagine that Councillor Melton would have jumped to that conclusion by himself, I suspect the hand of a puppet master pulling the strings here....

[BAJR]

Add it to this Guardian article

Archaeologists furious over councillor's 'bunny huggers' jibe | Science | guardian.co.uk
www.guardian.co.ukTory council leader threatened to overturn principle that developers must pay for archaeological excavation

Mike showed a real professional, measured attitude that left Cllr Melton look like an amateur. As Oxbeast said, Mike stayed away from any comments that would have looked like getting even with the insult to British Archaeology. The pressure is mounting and soon will be national - and may even bring us all together to oppose the mounting cuts. !

I can't praise Mike highly enough for this. Perfect!

I did hear the words as well of opening the debate about challenges to EU regulations. :face-huh:

A glove puppet indeed!

[kevin wooldridge]

A while back we were discussing who should front an archaeological campaign against cuts, deregulation etc etc. Mike's performance tonight has convinced me that he is the right man, in the right place at the right time....

[P Prentice]

A while back we were discussing who should front an archaeological campaign against cuts, deregulation etc etc. Mike's performance tonight has convinced me that he is the right man, in the right place at the right time....

yep- toldyalso ages ago

[Comarch]

A while back we were discussing who should front an archaeological campaign against cuts, deregulation etc etc. Mike's performance tonight has convinced me that he is the right man, in the right place at the right time....

Just what we need. Diggers are far to dim to have any idea as to how to organise themselves as a body. Let's all follow the leader.

[Madweasels]

Ditto, back in November...


Madweasels said, getting all emotional and theatrical, like

"Simply, I would propose that we beef up The Archaeology Forum (The AF). Its current website hasn't been updated, I think, since early 2009 and they only meet four times a year. Well, times are hard and they are getting harder. So here's the thing. The AF needs to meet monthly for the foreseeable future. It needs to channel through its website - or through someone's website - the results of all its individual initiatives with the political sector, both central and local. It is imperative that these are shared with us so that we can all become advocates of the common cause when we, as individuals, have to represent archaeology to others.

But most importantly, the AF needs to be chaired by someone who commands the respect and support of the majority of British archaeologists among the diverse, fragmented bodies of our discipline. I would propose CBA's Dr Mike Heyworth MBE. He is already secretary to APPAG (which is in need of kick-starting and should be the group through which our concerns/vision should be related to Government), on behalf of The AF. But, he also fronts up CBA - and is probably up to his neck in things. Surely, someone of his calibre needs to be given the support and time to speak on behalf of the many groups around the country. I would propose, somehow, the CBA (perhaps with some financial support from all the groups that make up The AF) gives him the necessary sabbatical to act as our champion, speaking for us all, articulating the various strands of our subject and its value to our country, its economy, its progress through development, its education etc etc.

There - I will leave that one with you all. Think about it - we need one voice, one well-respected person, one knowledgeable person.

We need a hero - (cue Bonnie, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBwS66EBUcYr)

lol"

End of the promotional advert!!!

[BAJR]

Well cometh the hour, cometh the Heyworth.

It does seem that a champion for all archaeology can be found in Mike. BUT as has been said... he also has a day job. It could be said he already is doing this... perhaps he needs more leaway to do it not as CBA Director... but as an AF representative?