'We did Guy Fawkes last year'
And this, from November 2006:
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No guy for London’s Third World borough
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Tower Hamlets may lie just a few miles from the centre of the capital of the United Kingdom but in many regards it is a detached piece of the Third World.
If proof of this were needed then news that the Borough Council has commissioned a £75,000 firework spectacular commemorating a Bengali folk tale should seal the case.
Bangladeshis dominate Tower Hamlets Council with 31 out of 51 councillors coming from this community which makes up about one third of the Borough’s 195,000 population and the decision to do away with the traditional bonfire, Guy Fawkes and firework display to remember the abortive attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605 has aroused criticism and allegations that it will harm community relations.
20,000 visitors are expected to pack into Hackney’s Victoria Park to watch a performance entitled The Emperor and the Tiger.
John Migdley, spokesman for the Campaign Against Political Correctness said that “It’s time for commonsense and for the people to tell bureaucrats that politically correct actions like these undermine our historic occasions and harm community relations.
Even Respect’s George Galloway, the constituency MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, not noted for his support of anything British suggested that “it beggars belief that this council should organise a Bonfire Night without a bonfire or a guy”.
Tower Hamlets Council defended their decision saying that “We did Guy Fawkes last year”.
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