Boris Johnson backs campaign to name London street after Sir Nicholas Winton

Boris Johnson ‘would be delighted to support’ an application to name a London street or venue after Sir Nicholas Winton.

The Raoul Wallenberg foundation has written to the outgoing mayor to urge him to honour “the British Schindler”, who helped rescue hundreds of children from Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia before the Second World war.

The foundation will also commissioning a bust of the hero as part of its Houses of Life initiative.

The move comes a week after the Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Sir Nicholas as part of a set featuring six British humanitarians, following a campaign by Jewish News, which was backed by more than 106,000 people.

We’ve got our Royal Mail Nicholas Winton stamps now at the CUFI office, released today! Have you got yours?#nicholaswinton #royalmail #neveragain

Posted by Christians United for Israel – UK on Tuesday, March 15, 2016

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “The Mayor was delighted when the Royal Mail announced it would be releasing commemorative stamps in Sir Nicholas Winton’s honour, and would support further recognition of his amazing contribution to saving lives.”

They added “If any application to name a road in his honour came from a council – the Mayor would be delighted to support it”.

Ahead of the mayoral election in May, Labour’s candidate Sadiq Khan and the Tory hopeful Zac Goldsmith have given their support as well.

Sadiq Khan said: “Sir Nicholas Winton was a hero. He saved hundreds of Jewish and other children in the Czech Kindertransport , helping many of them to find homes and new lives in Britain. I’m fortunate to count one of them, Lord Alf Dubs, as a friend.

“It is right and fitting that he is commemorated in the city where he was born and I support the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation’s call for a street or public space to be named after him. If elected Mayor, I will lead efforts to find a suitable street or public space to name in his honour.”

Zac Goldsmith told Jewish News: “This is a wonderful idea that I absolutely support. Sir Nicholas Winton rescued hundreds of Jewish and other children from the horror of the Nazis and helped many find homes in Britain. This would be a fitting tribute to a true hero”.

Source: Jewish News