I live in Milton Keynes and have been to Bletchley Park many time. As you probably know, Bletchley Park was the home of the “codebreakers” in the Second World War who cracked the various enemy codes (including the infamous Enigma Code) and are credited with shortening the war. The park became, by default, owned by BT but is now independent. It is, however, in grave need of preservation. I heard about an Early Day Motion in Parliament related to the park and asked my local MP, Phylis Starkey, if she supported it.
Here is her response:
Mr Kevin D Partner
27 October 2009
Dear Mr Partner
Thank you for your e-mail about Bletchley Park.
I have always been very supportive of Bletchley Park and worked closely with the Trust since I was first elected in 1997. A number of Bletchley Labour Councillors, including Roger Bristow, played a pivotal role in saving the Park from demolition before that.
As the local MP I was instrumental in getting the Labour Government to resolve with BT the ownership of Bletchley Park and ensure the transfer of the site (including parts which the Trust have subsequently sold for development to create additional finance for the Trust itself). More recently I facilitated a meeting between the Trust, English Heritage and the Heritage Lottery Fund. This enabled the Trust to get a better understanding of how it could tailor its needs to make successful applications to each of these organisations.
On 9th October I was at Bletchley Park when the Foreign Secretary presented the new Bletchley Park Commemorative Badges to Bletchley Park veterans. This was a further opportunity to discuss the latest situation directly with Simon Greenish the Director and to see for myself the works to the mansion and some of the other buildings which have been funded by grants of £654,000 by English Heritage. Bletchley has also now received funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to enable it to further develop its business plan and make a substantive application for the funding that would put the museum on a sustainable footing.
The Early Day Motion you mentioned has thus been superseded by events since funding either has already been made available or will be forthcoming once the Trust’s own plans have been finalised to achieve the long term sustainability it demanded. This is the process that is currently occurring with the Heritage Lottery Fund (again following contacts which I facilitated) and the grant is related to what the Trust applied for (i.e. that is how the £930,000 was arrived at)
Do contact me again if you have further comments or queries.
Yours sincerely
Dr Phyllis Starkey, MP
Milton Keynes South West
My reaction? Well, I’m glad to have had such a thorough response: this is clearly something that interests her. She is somewhat stymied by her own government’s luke-warm attitude to Bletchley Park (the giving out of medals was not universally appreciated by the veterans: they wanted money to keep the place going) but it’s good to see that someone is championing such an important national asset in government: at least until the next election.
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