§ 27. Major Petherickasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works whether he will have the sword on the statue of King Richard I, Cœur de Lion, outside St. Stephen's Hall, straightened?
§ The Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Works (Mr. Hicks)As many hon. Members may know, the interesting suggestion has been made that the bent but unbroken sword is symbolic and should remain as it is. It is not, however, proposed to carry out permanent repairs to this statue until after the war.
§ Major PetherickThough the state of King Richard's sword may have been symbolic three years ago, when we were bent but not broken, is not the symbolism rather effete now, when we are neither broken nor bent?