Big Ben Bong.

Susieq62
I don't know where you've been for the past ( I don't know how many years) but in my memory Blair brought the subject up in parliament.
Maybe read up more on our relationship with the eu.

The reason it's costing money when ringing it for New Year and other dates didn't is that the renovations were planned around those dates. The clapper has been removed, and would have to be replaced, but the belfry floor was removed on January 2nd, to allow the longest possible time before the bell needed to ring again for Armistice Day in November, and can't be replaced in a hurry without considerable expense. Also, replacing the floor now would stop the renovations that required its removal, which would also have a major cost in making the whole project overrun.

Give the money to the hundreds of people living in poverty.

How ridiculous!

I certainly don’t think £500,000 should be spent on this, ludicrous idea, not keen on celebrating this sad day BUT if people really want to listen to the Big Ben bongs why not stick a few speakers up there and a sound recording and get the same noisy bongs for a fraction of the cost? Thereby bringing us into the new era! ? ? ?

Oh, CliftonKate, I so agree with you! We are a laughing stock in Europe as it is, without this hare-brained idea. There are so many more worthy causes that need this money desperately. If we are collecting money, it should be spent on one of them, not on a stupid idea like this. Just what I would expect from our scatty PM! I despair!

I wonder when we started celebrating Guy Fawkes night when Catholics also started celebrating his death by attending annual bonfires etc. Maybe in 100 years everyone will be celebrating leaving the EU regardless of which way their ancestors voted?

Do you think Boris reads Gransnet? If he does, it might make him see some sense!

MerylStreep I have been in the country all my life apart from a year travelling, so yes, I do know what has been going on. The difference between Blair and Cameron was that Blair took the decision to ignore the idea of leaving. Cameron allowed himself to be bullied by Farage who has suddenly gone rather quiet which is very disconcerting.
I accept the result. I don’t like it. I despise those who can drink bubbly on the night of the 31st January knowing there are so many in our country struggling to get from one day to the next. The EU has not caused homelessness either. It was the policies of Thatcher are her cronies who started it by selling off council stock. We never learn do we!!!
I am starting to think we have some very self centred , wealthy,” I’m all right jack women” in this forum. Going to bed now before I explode!!

My point was that if money was to be raised then it would be better used for something worthwhile. And what is "something worthwhile"? Something that you consider to be worthwhile? If you have a cause which is, in your estimation, "worthwhile" nobody is preventing you from raising money in its support. If people give money for this then it's because they think it's worthwhile and it's their money. Where does this attitude come from that one has the right to decide how to spend other people's money? Possibly from the same quarter that the attitude comes from which dictates that it's ok to ignore a referendum result because it's not what "we" think is right? I voted to remain but, had there been another referendum, I would have voted to leave a second time around, simply because I was appalled by the arrogant and condescending attitude of the liberal lefties, amongst which I would, at one time, have counted myself. Happy to say I have seen many erstwhile, "friends" and myself in a whole new light and am earnestly working on distancing myself from that type of person from now on.

I don't understand anything any more except that there will be many more years of arguing and disagreement over the terms of Brexit. Jarndyce v Jarndyce springs to mind. I doubt I will be alive when it finally comes to its sad conclusion (if it ever does).

Im Ok with it its GB s independace from the rules of the european rules of my country.new era where we can make our own rules with the europe comunity that milked our tax payes money to support other countrys that has been draining england for many years

NoddingGanGan you are using a quote from my earlier post and I agree that people are entitled to donate to what ever they want. However, I am entitled to have my own opinion as to wether I think it a good cause.
YOU have no idea how I voted in the election or what I give or do for charity so please do not make assumptions .

I think that there should be nothing to make people feel their noses have been rubbed in it as I know what it feels like after years of the boot being on the other foot.

However, £half a million divided between many contributors is not going to be anything of a problem and the contributions will be voluntary. Goodness knows much more than that is spent daily on unnecessary, PC or Woke nonsense. Look at the £squillions wasted on salaries at Public Health England to tell us to sleep properly and eat less, for example.

My family voted two in favour and two against Brexit and only one of us won’t actually be celebrating. I am having to send for a passport now but I will definitely pay for another blue one when I can.

But I will be tactful in my celebrations.

Definitely not , we need to move on snd repair this rift in our society . It is a huge waste of money that should be spent on public services especially NHS .

Wonderful difference to see here between the bell-ringers and the hand-wringers.
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Good post Rosina and yes, a recording of bongs would do nicely!?

Bung A Bob For A Big Ben Bong ....could go on into history as a tongue-twister.?

What a miserable lot ,for goodness sake give Boris a chance.......We all know what we voted for!! We are not wealthy & have both had to work all of our lives & our children work hard ........Most of the people who voted to leave were from poor areas,London is a wealthy city which attracts many foreigners.....I think most of the real Londoners have moved out ,can’t afford to live there anymore that’s why it is such a high remain area.

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Most people do not want to leave the EU today but our broken electoral system has given us this result. Australia is burning, there are more children living in poverty and families using food banks now compared with 10 years ago. Is our right wing media told the truth, rest her than their version of it, I don’t think we would be in this utter mess today.

Most people do want to leave the EU

I have GN friends who hopefully don't think it's me proposing this ludicrous idea of gloating over being a divided nation by ringing out the bells of BB, to say nothing of toasting the event in French champagne.

I will not be celebrating the day my DGS officially becomes a 'foreigner'. It will pass unmarked by me.

N.B. To anyone with cash to spare, come and see the volunteers going round Manchester with supermarket trolleys giving out clothes and food to the homeless and then tell us it's a good use of anyone's cash to ring BB. We are a divided nation in very many ways.

Whether the bell rings or no doesn't bother me but extreme views on both sides do. I have voted Leave twice in my lifetime so I have taken my share of abuse from both Right and Left but now, my main thought is that we should make a go of being outside the EU, whatever that may mean after all the negotiations are done. I will raise a glass to that hope, much in the same way as I wish people a happy, healthy and safe New Year.

As people have said, if the bell rings, it would not be financed by public money unlike the giant firework displays that wasted resources and the polluted atmosphere at New Year. Like New Year, people can either stay up or go to bed. I suspect there will be more important things to think about on February 1.

I think a bong would be a good idea. In fact, I’m smoking one now.