Chartist mural fight goes to Europe

8:39am Saturday 23rd June 2007

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THE campaign to save Newport's Chartist mural is being taken to Europe this weekend.

History lecturer Les James, from the University of Wales, Newport, is discussing the campaign at a lecture in Amsterdam.

He will highlight the debate over the threatened mosaic as an example of the kind of issues that classroom teachers should raise with pupils.

The mosaic, in the tunnel between John Frost Square and Upper Dock Street, could be demolished under plans to redevelop the city centre.

Developers Modus say it is too costly to save and plan to build a new one in its place.

Mr James praised Newport children such as ten-year-old Carlton French, a pupil at Lliswerry junior school, who launched a petition to save the mural.

He said: "It's great to see pupils kick starting this public debate. They're doing exactly what the Chartists believed in, exercising their democratic voice.

Mr James wants Newport's Chartist mosaic to be photographically recorded in detail, and said if it can't be relocated he wants a new one commissioned, produced with school and community involvement.

Mr James will be speaking at a conference at Amsterdam university, called The Professional Teaching of History: UK and Dutch perspectives.