Tonight is Guy Fawkes Night and all across the land fireworks are being set off (I can hear lots outside right now) and bonfires are lit as revellers gather round in the freezing night air eating treacle toffee and black peas in vinegar to celebrate the thwarting of a Catholic plot to blow up King and Parliament in 1605.
Whereas it's traditional to burn life-sized effigies of Guy Fawkes himself (usually made by children who then stand on the streets with him asking passers-by for "pennies for the Guy"), one town does things rather differently.
For a long time, the people of Lewes in East Sussex have not only burnt effigies of Guy Fawkes on bonfires on Guy Fawkes Night but they also burn effigies of the Pope and modern people who they consider to be undesirable.
This year the residents are to burn an effigy of Alex Salmond, Scotland's nationalist outgoing First Minister and leader of the SNP who, of course, was defeated in September's independence referendum.
East Sussex County Council faced an immediate backlash on Twitter after tweeting a picture of Mr Salmond's effigy, complete with a "Yes" badge, a sign saying "45%" and the Loch Ness monster looking over his shoulder.
The council later clarified: "Please note that the Alex Salmond and Nessie models were created by Waterloo Bonfire Society #LewesBonfire and have NO connection to ESCC".
The Waterloo Bonfire Society is one of six which parade through the town every year. The societies all have their traditions, costumes, fire sites and fireworks.
An effigy of David Cameron holding a "puppet Nick Clegg" was burned in Lewes in 2010 (with no complaints from the Scots Nats). Other effigies in previous years have included Osama Bin Laden.
Elsewhere, an effigy of former European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso will be burned in the Kent town of Edenbridge.
English town to burn Alex Salmond effigy
5 November 2014
BBC News
A photograph of the effigy was tweeted by East Sussex County Council
The Scottish government has criticised plans to burn an effigy of Alex Salmond during bonfire night celebrations in an English town.
Thousands of people are expected to converge on the East Sussex town of Lewes to see the effigy of the Scottish first minister set alight on a bonfire.
A spokesman for the outgoing First Minister said it was a "typical Tory attitude to Scotland".
A number of other "celebrity guys" will also be burned in the annual event.
East Sussex County Council faced an immediate backlash on Twitter after tweeting a picture of Mr Salmond's effigy, complete with a "Yes" badge, a sign saying "45%" and the Loch Ness monster looking over his shoulder.
One Twitter user responded: "Can you imagine the uproar amongst Better Together campaigners had Yes supporters burned an effigy of David Cameron?"
Others posted the council's switchboard telephone number, and urged people to complain.
The council later clarified: "Please note that the Alex Salmond and Nessie models were created by Waterloo Bonfire Society #LewesBonfire and have NO connection to ESCC". The original tweet was removed.
'Poor Nessie'
But a spokesman for the First Minister said: "The Tory-controlled East Sussex County Council obviously view the First Minister - and the 45% of Scots who voted Yes - as as big a threat to the Westminster establishment as Guy Fawkes, although it's unclear why poor Nessie has been targeted.
"It's a typical Tory attitude to Scotland, whether north or south of the border."
Kevin Pringle, the SNP's strategic communications director, tweeted: "Tory @EastSussexCC promoting burning effigy of @AlexSalmond & sign of the 45% who voted #Yes does @RuthDavidsonMSP no favours. #LewesBonfire"
Ms Davidson, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, responded: "Funny they never gave a squeak when a David Cameron effigy was burned two years ago."
However, Ms Davidson said she found the event "distasteful".
The Waterloo Bonfire Society is one of six which parade through the town every year. The societies all have their traditions, costumes, fire sites and fireworks.
An effigy of David Cameron holding a "puppet Nick Clegg" was burned in Lewes in 2010. Other effigies in previous years have included Osama Bin Laden.
The event is said to be one of the largest bonfire celebrations in the UK, with 30,000 people attending last year.
Elsewhere, an effigy of former European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso will be burned in the Kent town of Edenbridge.
Lewes Guy Fawkes Night celebrations set to attract thousands of revellers
About 30,000 revellers attended last year's processions. Non-Lewes residents are asked not to attend.
Council officials have urged people to wear protective glasses or goggles and ear plugs for their own safety (modern 'Elf 'n Safety madness).
Police said anyone throwing fireworks would be "dealt with robustly".
"Remember, Remember, The Fifth Of November, Gunpowder, Treason And Plot. I See No Reason Why Gunpowder Treason Should Ever Be Forgot"
Six separate bonfire societies will parade through various parts of the town, all with their own traditions, costumes, fire sites and fireworks.
In total, there will be more than 30 processions with flaming torches and burning crosses intermingling with each other through the narrow streets of the town, starting from about 17:00 GMT and finishing at about 01:00 GMT.
During the marches, the 17 Protestants of the town - the "Lewes Martyrs" - who were executed during the reign of the Catholic "Bloody Mary" will be remembered.
The main procession, The United Grand, starts at about 19:40 GMT, after which each society will hold a bonfire at sites around the town followed by a firework display.
BBC News - English town to burn Alex Salmond effigy
Whereas it's traditional to burn life-sized effigies of Guy Fawkes himself (usually made by children who then stand on the streets with him asking passers-by for "pennies for the Guy"), one town does things rather differently.
For a long time, the people of Lewes in East Sussex have not only burnt effigies of Guy Fawkes on bonfires on Guy Fawkes Night but they also burn effigies of the Pope and modern people who they consider to be undesirable.
This year the residents are to burn an effigy of Alex Salmond, Scotland's nationalist outgoing First Minister and leader of the SNP who, of course, was defeated in September's independence referendum.
East Sussex County Council faced an immediate backlash on Twitter after tweeting a picture of Mr Salmond's effigy, complete with a "Yes" badge, a sign saying "45%" and the Loch Ness monster looking over his shoulder.
The council later clarified: "Please note that the Alex Salmond and Nessie models were created by Waterloo Bonfire Society #LewesBonfire and have NO connection to ESCC".
The Waterloo Bonfire Society is one of six which parade through the town every year. The societies all have their traditions, costumes, fire sites and fireworks.
An effigy of David Cameron holding a "puppet Nick Clegg" was burned in Lewes in 2010 (with no complaints from the Scots Nats). Other effigies in previous years have included Osama Bin Laden.
Elsewhere, an effigy of former European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso will be burned in the Kent town of Edenbridge.
English town to burn Alex Salmond effigy
5 November 2014
BBC News
A photograph of the effigy was tweeted by East Sussex County Council
The Scottish government has criticised plans to burn an effigy of Alex Salmond during bonfire night celebrations in an English town.
Thousands of people are expected to converge on the East Sussex town of Lewes to see the effigy of the Scottish first minister set alight on a bonfire.
A spokesman for the outgoing First Minister said it was a "typical Tory attitude to Scotland".
A number of other "celebrity guys" will also be burned in the annual event.
East Sussex County Council faced an immediate backlash on Twitter after tweeting a picture of Mr Salmond's effigy, complete with a "Yes" badge, a sign saying "45%" and the Loch Ness monster looking over his shoulder.
One Twitter user responded: "Can you imagine the uproar amongst Better Together campaigners had Yes supporters burned an effigy of David Cameron?"
Others posted the council's switchboard telephone number, and urged people to complain.
The council later clarified: "Please note that the Alex Salmond and Nessie models were created by Waterloo Bonfire Society #LewesBonfire and have NO connection to ESCC". The original tweet was removed.
'Poor Nessie'
But a spokesman for the First Minister said: "The Tory-controlled East Sussex County Council obviously view the First Minister - and the 45% of Scots who voted Yes - as as big a threat to the Westminster establishment as Guy Fawkes, although it's unclear why poor Nessie has been targeted.
"It's a typical Tory attitude to Scotland, whether north or south of the border."
Kevin Pringle, the SNP's strategic communications director, tweeted: "Tory @EastSussexCC promoting burning effigy of @AlexSalmond & sign of the 45% who voted #Yes does @RuthDavidsonMSP no favours. #LewesBonfire"
Ms Davidson, the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, responded: "Funny they never gave a squeak when a David Cameron effigy was burned two years ago."
However, Ms Davidson said she found the event "distasteful".
The Waterloo Bonfire Society is one of six which parade through the town every year. The societies all have their traditions, costumes, fire sites and fireworks.
An effigy of David Cameron holding a "puppet Nick Clegg" was burned in Lewes in 2010. Other effigies in previous years have included Osama Bin Laden.
The event is said to be one of the largest bonfire celebrations in the UK, with 30,000 people attending last year.
Elsewhere, an effigy of former European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso will be burned in the Kent town of Edenbridge.
Lewes Guy Fawkes Night celebrations set to attract thousands of revellers
About 30,000 revellers attended last year's processions. Non-Lewes residents are asked not to attend.
Council officials have urged people to wear protective glasses or goggles and ear plugs for their own safety (modern 'Elf 'n Safety madness).
Police said anyone throwing fireworks would be "dealt with robustly".
"Remember, Remember, The Fifth Of November, Gunpowder, Treason And Plot. I See No Reason Why Gunpowder Treason Should Ever Be Forgot"
Six separate bonfire societies will parade through various parts of the town, all with their own traditions, costumes, fire sites and fireworks.
In total, there will be more than 30 processions with flaming torches and burning crosses intermingling with each other through the narrow streets of the town, starting from about 17:00 GMT and finishing at about 01:00 GMT.
During the marches, the 17 Protestants of the town - the "Lewes Martyrs" - who were executed during the reign of the Catholic "Bloody Mary" will be remembered.
The main procession, The United Grand, starts at about 19:40 GMT, after which each society will hold a bonfire at sites around the town followed by a firework display.
BBC News - English town to burn Alex Salmond effigy
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