Maria Eagle MP, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, commenting on the Arts White Paper, said:

“Unlocking the creative potential of all is essential for the development of all of our communities in this country.

“The Labour Party believes that everyone must have the opportunity to experience the arts no matter what their background or in whichever part of the country they live. The last Labour Government understood this and introduced free entrance to museums and galleries, supported creativity in the classroom and invested in our regional arts and culture.

“However under the Tory Government our arts and culture is under real threat. The Arts Council’s core Grant in Aid will have been cut by 36 per cent between 2010 and 2015; and by 2019 DCMS will have to find his share of £3.5 billion of further cuts in 2019/20 to make the Chancellor’s budget plans add up. Across the country, local authority funding is under even greater pressure. This has forced museums like the National Media Museum in Bradford to relocate its collections to London whilst Ministers have done nothing to prevent the hollowing out of this important cultural venue.

“It is right that the Government White Paper recognises the BBC as a ‘powerful champion of our culture overseas’ yet at the same time the semi-detached Secretary of State seems determined to diminish its scale and scope via his flawed Charter renewal process. He seeks to turn the BBC into a state-run broadcaster- when he is not being distracted by the EU Brexit campaign.”