1 Oct 2014

Is William Hague really our greatest living Yorkshireman?

…and what about Yorkshire-women? David Cameron’s claim was probably his biggest Tory conference announcement (well, almost), but does it stack up? We asked for your views on Yorkshire’s finest.

William Hague was the subject of an unlikely tribute at the Tory party conference in Birmingham, when Prime Minister David Cameron gave his own impersonation of the man who stepped down from government in July.

He followed this up by declaring Mr Hague the UK’s “greatest living Yorkshireman” – perhaps a controversial claim given the region’s impressive roll call of great Britons.

We asked for your ideas on who might trump him…

The greatest living YorkshiremenDavid Cameron claims William Hague is the greatest living Yorkshiremen. We asked our social media audience if they think this is true.Sir Patrick StewartHe was Captain Jean Luc Picard, he has a voice that can trigger earth tremors, and he is hilarious on Twitter. How can you not love Mirfield-born Patrick Stewart? cameramake NIKON CORPORATIONheight 485flash 15camerasoftware Adobe Photoshop Elemoriginaldate 5/11/2014 4:22:57 AMwidth 730orientation 1cameramodel NIKON D4Sean BeanHe sacrificed his own life to save some hobbits (ok, his character Boromir did). Can William Hague claim to have done anything so valiant? He was pretty good as Sharpe as well…cameramake Canonheight 485flash 16camerasoftware Adobe Photoshop Elemoriginaldate 3/6/2012 12:59:28 AMwidth 730orientation 1cameramodel Canon EOS-1D Mark IIBrian Blessed“Gordon’s alive” – need we say any more.cameramake NIKON CORPORATIONheight 485orientation 1camerasoftware Adobe Photoshop Elemoriginaldate 7/11/2014 4:23:01 PMwidth 730cameramodel NIKON D3SSir Ben KingsleyHe’s played everyone from gangsters to Ghandi – and is one of Britain’s most respected actors.cameramake Canonheight 485flash 16camerasoftware Adobe Photoshop Elemoriginaldate 9/10/2014 2:07:58 AMwidth 730orientation 1cameramodel Canon EOS 5D Mark IIJeremy ClarksonThe Doncaster-born presenter is a bit of a Marmite option – following various controversies around racism, road safety and climate change.height 485width 730orientation 1camerasoftware Adobe Photoshop Elemoriginaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMSir Michael ParkinsonMeg Ryan didn’t like him much – but pretty much everyone else has a soft spot in their hearts for “Parky”.cameramake Canonheight 485flash 16camerasoftware Adobe Photoshop Elemoriginaldate 2/1/2011 4:13:02 PMwidth 730orientation 1cameramodel Canon EOS-1D Mark IIMichael PalinAnyone involved in Monty Python would surely top a list of greatest countrymen, so it is no surprise that Palin, born in Sheffield, is in this list.cameramake NIKON CORPORATIONheight 485orientation 1camerasoftware Adobe Photoshop Elemoriginaldate 7/21/2014 1:14:55 AMwidth 730cameramodel NIKON D3Jarvis CockerFans of Michael Jackson might not like him so much following his protest at the Brits in 1996 – but his influence on the Britpop scene is unquestionable. height 485width 730orientation 1camerasoftware Adobe Photoshop Elemoriginaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMMel BThe only woman in our list, so perhaps it is right that she was one fifth of the “Girl Power” movement that was the Spice Girls.height 485width 730orientation 1camerasoftware Adobe Photoshop Elemoriginaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMArthur ScargillThere might not be too many Tories who agree with this one – but Arthur Scargill’s fight for the miners’ will secure his place in the hearts of the people of Yorkshire.height 485width 730orientation 1camerasoftware Adobe Photoshop Elemoriginaldate 1/10/2012 2:18:57 AMAlan BennettThe playwright behind The Madness of King George III, The History Boys and Talking Headscameramake Canonheight 485orientation 1camerasoftware Adobe Photoshop Elemoriginaldate 9/19/2005 7:28:55 AMwidth 730cameramodel Canon EOS-1DSDavid HockneyA key proponent of the pop art movement, the painter of the iconic “A bigger splash” was born in Bradford.cameramake Canonheight 485flash 16camerasoftware Adobe Photoshop Elemoriginaldate 1/16/2012 6:12:09 PMwidth 730orientation 1cameramodel Canon EOS-1D Mark IVDickie BirdCricket’s eccentric comedian has a statue erected in his honour in Barnsley. The council, was forced to raise the statue five feet to stop late-night revellers hanging “inappropiate” items on his famous finger.height 485width 730orientation 1camerasoftware Adobe Photoshop Elemoriginaldate 1/1/0001 6:00:00 AMGeoffry BoycottOne of England’s most successful opening batsman, Boycott has also found fame as an outspoken, sometimes controversial, commentator.cameramake NIKON CORPORATIONheight 485orientation 1camerasoftware Adobe Photoshop Elemoriginaldate 6/12/2014 3:27:49 PMwidth 730cameramodel NIKON D3S

…and here’s a few Channel 4 News also thinks should make the list:

  • The Brontes – for services to literature
  • Dame Judi Dench – for services to entertainment
  • Vic Reeves and Bob Mortimer – for services to comedy
  • Arctic Monkeys – for services to music
  • Jessica Ennis – for services to sport
  • Barbara Hepworth – for services to art