A NORTHWICH taxi driver who is fighting to put a patriotic sentiment back on his vehicle has attracted the support of a European Member of Parliament.

Former serviceman John Woodward, of JJ’s Taxis in Winnington, was asked by Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWAC) to remove the phrase ‘British by birth, English by the grace of God’ from the side of his black Renault Trafic.

Two complaints from different people said that the sign was racist and, because John had not applied for permission to apply the wording to his hackney cab, he was asked to remove it.

John, who fought in the Gulf War, immediately wrote to CWAC asking for permission to reapply the phrase – which was similar to one taken from a fleet of haulage vehicles in Wales.

Now his plight has been brought to the European stage by UKIP MEP Paul Nuttall, who has written to CWAC to urge it to reconsider its decision.

“This story seems to confirm what we all suspected – it is politically incorrect to be proud to be British,” MEP Nuttall said.

“Well, certainly white and British. If Mr Woodward had been a British-born Asian I wonder if he would have been in hot water for the sign.

“The former war hero probably does not have a racist bone in his body or racist thought in his head but such heavy-handed knee-jerk reactions do more to foster such tendencies than quell them.

“I appreciate that the council has told him to take the sign down because he needs permission to have any sign in his cab and not because they have deemed it racist.

“But I am urging the council to re-consider the matter and let him put it back up.”

John added that he had been left ‘amazed’ by the public messages of support for his cause.

“I’ve been on the BBC, Real Radio, Radio Five Live and Radio Wales – I’ve now got no time to drive,” he said.

“I’ve had no bad press and I have had good feedback – I’ve had text messages from people I don’t know showing their support and some calls from black cab drivers in London – I can’t believe how it is going.

“The support that I have received already from anonymous text messages and phone calls and I have also looked on the internet and the amount of forum discussions – it is unbelievable.

“What I didn’t expect is for it to snowball as it has.”

Talking of his plans to reinstate the sign, John said: “If needs be, if I still don’t get permission, I think my next move will be to write to David Cameron to see what he has to say about it and also I think Buckingham Palace, to speak to our Queen who rules our country and who I fought for.”

Ian Callister, senior media relations manager for CWAC, said: “Mr Woodward has applied for the sign to be put on his vehicle and that application will be considered in the near future.

“Possibly we will have some sort of decision by the end of next week.”

He added that a further complaint about the sign had been received.