Shed no tears for GGAT

It is with surprise that I greet the tone of the article about GGAT (Digger 28). Why anybody should be pleased that this outfit have been saved from bankruptcy is beyond me. Perhaps the fact that Newport Council are reluctant to pay would indicate that they, at least, were not quite so happy at the job provided by GGAT as these ‘experts’ would have us believe.

 Militant archaeologists - apply here

Mick Aston and I dedicated our book ‘Archaeology is Rubbish’ to ‘the army of highly qualified, underpaid diggers whose commitment to high standards helps make British archaeology standards among the best in the world.’

I’m co-convenor of the Labour Party’s ‘Quality of Life’ Policy Commission which deals with issues covered by DEFRA and DCMS. We’ve managed to include the following into the consultation document: ‘Nearly 40% of our archaeology sites are under threat from ever-deeper ploughing and climate change but also from the activities of man. How can we raise awareness of our historic environment? Is new legislation to protect it needed? How can we help communities realise the potential benefits that can be derived from their local historical environment?’

Any archaeologists who are Labour Party members and want to make recommendations to us should go to their local constituency meetings or Local Policy Forum and submit something to us. It would be great if we were overwhelmed by militant archaeologists.

- Tony Robinson.

http://www.archaeology.co.uk/books/books.asp?book=rubbish Current Archaeologys review of Book

http://www.labour.org.uk/consultingonpolicydocuments#click Labour Party Consultation Documents :: click on Enhancing the quality of life (322671 bytes)