I love the statue that has replaced the slave trader

Good idea re Banksy, Lemongrove . I have a Bristol postcode so will presumably be allowed a vote.

Brilliant idea Callistemon. They’ve raised huge amount for the Children’s hospital.

We have the answer to the original question....less than 24 hours.

More than enough, in my opinion.

flopen there are already 2 statues of her. I think that's enough.

fictional characters That gave me a thought, Eloethan

Huge statues of Wallace and Gromit

I think it's a great statue but it has been said that it is not for a few individuals to decide which people should be honoured by the commissioning and placing of statues. I think that is a reasonable point but I do wonder how many "ordinary" people have ever been properly consulted on such issues.

So far as central London is concerned, there are dozens and dozens of statues of white men - often military men and sometimes military men who were involved in putting down uprisings in our various colonies - an assortment of royals and aristocrats, fictional characters (such as Paddington Bear and Peter Pan) and disproportionately few statues of named women (even many of them are emblematic or generic images, rather than honouring a specific woman for her achievements). Statues of BAME people are very thin on the ground.

I hope the Bristol statue is eventually welcomed by Bristolians as representing a future where the achievements of a wider group of people are honoured.

Ok trisher let's have one of Thatcher. Though I imagine she's the wrong sort of woman.

How about Banksy? He’s from Bristol.Either a new sculpture or one based on his existing artworks.That would also help with tourists wanting to see it as he has such a big following.

I don't think there should be any more male statues until women catch up a bit.
Of the 828 statues it recorded, 174 of them were female - around one in five.
But that doesn't tell the whole story.
Looking just at named women rather than nameless female figures whittles the figure down to 80.
In contrast, out of 534 statues of men, 422 of them are named.
Taking Headless Woman (Nymph), Woman Taking off Dress or any of four caryatids out of the equation, even among the 80 female figures with names 15 are allegorical, mythical or otherwise fictional

J K Rowling may have been born in a Bristl Hospital but she spent her childhood up until 18 in Gloucestershire

There is a statue of Ernest Bevin in Bermondsey, I think.

Whichever person chosen would be controversial so anything other than a statue would preferable imo.

Bevin was born in Winsford in Somerset, lived in Copplestone in Devon until moving to Bristol at the age of 11. He had a broad West Country accent and some in London had difficulty understanding him but he certainly did not have a straw in his mouth.
Why isn’t there a statue already for him somewhere in Bristol? I guess we have forgotten who he was. That’s the problem with statues. Overtime we often don’t know much about the person commemorated or what they did or sometimes even who they were.

Well, I'm a Bristolian, and I didn't know about his links with the city. Thank you. A good choice.

Ernest Bevin both in his actions for the people of Bristol and for all who reside nationally in Britain would be a wonderfull choice to be commemorated on the plinth.

Bevin was born in 1881 and as part of a farm Labouring family left school at the age of eleven with very little in the way of education. He went to work on Bristols Docks as a labourer where by the time of his early teens he was active in forming the Bristol Carters and Loaders association which did much to promote the raising of working conditions for those labouring on the docks.

Bevin then went on to co-found the powerful Transport and General Workers' Union. and served as it's General Secretary in the years 1922–1940.

It was then that Winston Churchill asked Bevin to join the wartime coalition government as its minister for Labour. In that role, Bevin brought into being the Land Army. which did so much to keep Britain fed throughout the conflict. He also was responsible for transforming almost all of Britain's manufacturing industry to armaments and other essential production that was so needed during those terrible year's.

In 1945 Bevin became Foreign Secretary in the Clement Atlee Labour Government that brought into being the National Health Service and Welfare state that the United Kingdom still so benefits from even today.

Despite being poles apart on the political spectrum Churchill and Bevin became firm allies during those war years both knowing and agreeing on exactly what was required to maintain the United Kindom in being, and through that, leading the world in opposition to tyranny.

On the death of Ernest Bevin in 1951 Winston Churchill spoke in tribute to him, stating, "Bevin had many of the strongest characteristics of the English race. his common sense, his rough simplicity, sturdiness and kind heart, easy geniality and generosity, all are qualities which we who live in this famous island regard with great admiration".

Indeed it can be stated that Ernest Bevin is a person that has stood very large in Bristol's past, and in a Britain that many have wished to migrate too in past years and even until today still wish to live within.

Wikipedia link to Ernest Bevin can be found here:-

en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Bevin

Sorry, not been to Bristol for years so missed the Cary Grant statue. I have just googled Hannah More and she would get my vote if I was a resident.

I think Hannah More would be good, or indeed any of the Quaker women who were abolitionists and organised the sugar boycott.
Although she has no real connection with Bristol Mary Price a black slave might be a good selection abolition.e2bn.org/people_37.html

Another vote for Hannah More. Or maybe Mary Carpenter?

"What about Cary Grant? He was good looking wasn't he? Or J.K Rowling ( born in Yate) , that would put the cat among Percy Pigeon!"

There is already a statue of Cary Grant in Millennium Square. I would prefer Hannah More - a very influential woman of her time, an educator and philanthropist who joined William Wilberforce in his anti-slavery campaign.

No, Dr Paul Stephenson should be an inspiration to us all.

He at least brought about change but in a dignified manner.

I felt that the whole episode, from the removal of the Colston Statue and the installation of the new Jen Reid one ( same artist as the beautiful Alison Lapper statue) was an amazing piece of performance art. I hope that once the people of Bristol have considered they will ask for it back.
The whole point is that Jen Reid is an unknown black person, it demonstrates the usurping of an evil historic powerful man by a bit of people power and a strong gesture. This really should be an inspiration for us all.

It turned into quite a cat fight on Jeremy Vine this morning when it was being discussed and several phone in calls said it was right it had been removed.

Well Bristol is my city, I live just outside it. The Mayor has said that he would like the people of Bristol to decide what should go on it. There has been talk of making it like a speakers corner with different statues being displayed through out the year. I really liked the statue and if given a vote will voter for it.

Marvin was very reasonable in his statement about its removal.

The statue wasn't dumped or thrown into the river. It is awaiting collection by the London artist who can either take it away or donate it to the museum.

What about Cary Grant? He was good looking wasn't he? Or J.K Rowling ( born in Yate) , that would put the cat among Percy Pigeon!