- Saturday 25 May 2013
- My Account
- Logout
- Register
- Login
- News
-
Voices
-
Find by writer
- Yasmin Alibhai-Brown
- Rebecca Armstrong
- Memphis Barker
- Terence Blacker
- Chris Blackhurst
- David Blanchflower
- Archie Bland
- Ian Burrell
- Andrew Buncombe
- Ben Chu
- Patrick Cockburn
- Laura Davis
- Mary Dejevsky
- Grace Dent
- Robert Fisk
- Andrew Grice
- Stefano Hatfield
- Philip Hensher
- Ian Herbert
- Howard Jacobson
- Ellen E Jones
- Alice Jones
- Owen Jones
- Simon Kelner
- Dominic Lawson
- Donald Macintyre
- Lisa Markwell
- Comment
- Campaigns
- Debate
- Editorials
- Letters
- IV Drip
- Archive
- Our Voices
- Commentators
- Columnists
- Democracy 2015
- IV Drip Archive
-
Find by writer
- Sport
- Tech
- Life
- Property
- Arts & Ents
- Travel
- Money
- IndyBest
- Blogs
- Student
Thursday 6 January 2011
Leading article: Suffolk: from cradle to grave
It must have seemed a perfectly grand idea to Suffolk tourism chiefs. They would invite the public to vote online for the best loved "icon" of the county. Even better, they would allow the public to make suggestions themselves. What could be more in tune with the devolutionist and participatory ethos of the Big Society?
But they did not consider the mischievous sense of humour of the internet. Under the suggestions, someone posted an image of the lead singer of a veteran heavy metal group who rejoice in the name Cradle of Filth. Worse, Dani Filth ended up topping the poll, beating Ipswich's Broomhill swimming pool into a distant second place.
Yet now Choose Suffolk have omitted Mr Filth from the final shortlist on the grounds that he is not appropriate. We do not see why. Cradle of Filth were formed in the county 20 years ago. They are as Suffolk as Adnam's brewery.
Furthermore, internet democracy is internet democracy. Bureaucrats cannot pretend to be inclusive and then start excluding when the results are not what they expected. If Suffolk netizens wish their county to be associated with a cradle of filth who is anyone to stand in their way?
-
This week's big questions: How best to react to Woolwich? Has Miliband got what it takes? And is Stephen King right about ebooks?
Ian Rankin -
What, let gays get married? We must be bonkers
Mark Steel -
Dogma will always lead to murder. In the end, scepticism is the only answer
A C Grayling -
The Daily Cartoon
-
Farewell, Shameless. Your heirs have work to do
Owen Jones
-
Editorial: Salutary lessons from a libellous tweet from Sally Bercow
-
As Hay-on-Wye opens this week, it's time for book festivals to open a new and exciting chapter
-
Tim Key: 'If you don't have to tranquilise an animal to get it into your zoo it shouldn't come in'
-
The Holocaust can’t be a joke – least of all in Berlin
-
The new version of Ibsen's Public Enemy is a drama where democracy doesn't win any votes
Get your summer started with British Military Fitness
BMF is the UK’s biggest and best loved outdoor fitness classes
Visit York
Find out what The Independent's resident travel expert has to say about one of the most beautiful small cities in the world
Making reading fun for kids
Nook is donating eReaders to volunteers at high-need schools and participating in exclusive events throughout the campaign.
Introducing the 'Get Reading' campaign
Get the latest on The Evening Standard's campaign to get London's children reading.
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
Related Articles
-
More than a million primary schoolchildren unable to swim, says major survey
-
Suffolk mayor Terry Buckle drives car into Tesco Express store in Moreton Hall
-
No swimming: Britain has some of the worst quality bathing water in Europe
-
Special courts will deal will traffic-light jumpers and speeding motorists
Get the best in opinion from Independent Voices, straight to your inbox every Thursday lunchtime.
Subscribe
Day In a Page
Johnny Marr talks relationships and reunions
In pictures: After the flood
Death becomes her: A very modern mortician
School of chop: Learning the art of butchery
The man who's eaten everywhere
A Berliner in 1963 – but did John F Kennedy once admire Adolf Hitler?