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Cardiff Bay Marconi sculpture review over fascism link

Getty Images Guglielmo Marconi and George KempGetty Images
George Kemp suggested south Wales to Guglielmo Marconi for the experiment

A sculpture honouring Guglielmo Marconi could be abandoned after councillors learned of his support for Mussolini.

Cardiff council had planned to erect the artwork to celebrate Marconi's feat of transmitting a radio signal across open sea off the Welsh coast in 1897.

The 4m (13ft) high sculpture of a radio is due to be part of a £1.1m project for the Cardiff Bay barrage area.

However the plans are now under review after the council became aware of his support of Italy's fascist government.

Regarded as the "father of radio", Marconi was a joint-winner of the Nobel prize for his work with "wireless telegraphy", which included discoveries that allowed messages to be sent via radio waves.

He moved to the UK after the Italian government refused to fund his work and was assisted by George Kemp, a Cardiff-based Post Office engineer.

Getty Images Cardiff Bay barrage with Flat Holm in backgroundGetty Images
Flat Holm lies off the south Wales coast in sight of Cardiff Bay barrage

On 13 May 1897, he transmitted radio messages between Lavernock Point in the Vale of Glamorgan to Flat Holm island.

However, in 2002, documents discovered in Rome showed Marconi stopped Jewish scientists joining the Academy of Italy, which he ran. He was found to have marked shortlists of candidates with the letter "E", standing for Ebreo - the Italian word for Jew.

Marconi was appointed to the post by Benito Mussolini, which made him a member of the Grand Council of Fascism, a ruling body of the government.

Eirian Evans/Geograph plaqueEirian Evans/Geograph
A plaque celebrates Marconi and Kemp's achievement in Lavernock

A spokesman for Cardiff council said: "Whilst Flat Holm Island is rightly famous as the site of the world's first radio transmission over open sea, radio pioneer Marconi's involvement with the Italian Fascist Party, and his role in excluding Jewish scientists from the Academy of Italy is less well-known and understood.

"Having been made aware of these matters, the project team will be contacting all funding partners immediately and beginning a review of the sculpture proposals to ensure that the fascinating history of Flat Holm Island is celebrated in a way that's consistent with Cardiff's values as a tolerant and welcoming city where equality and diversity is championed and celebrated."