Lisa Nandy keeps - expanded`? - culture portfolio
Culture secretary Lisa Nandy is to keep the job in the Andy Burnham administration she was appointed to by Keir Starmer two years ago, in which she may be given an enhanced role.
Burnham himself has a long association with culture politics, having been an advisor to Chris Smith for three years when he was the culture secretary that introduced free admission to national museums and galleries in 2001. Previously he had been a researcher for Tessa Jowell who was to succeed Smith as secretary of state. Burnham was also culture secretary himself for a year under Gordon Brown.
Added to her title is “digital” before “culture, media and sport” suggesting new responsibilities for social media issues and supporting Arts Council England’s programme of extending support to regional cultural and creative institutions and projects. With the full new title of iDepartment of Science, Innovation and Technology and Department of Culture Media and Sport. it is already being spoken of in Whitehall as a “super ministry”. She is known to be an enthusiastic adherent of Burnham’s devolution policy.
In April she announced £130m to upgrade cultural venues' buildings around the country as part of her £1.5bn Arts Everywhere Fund and includes venues such as the Lowry Centre in Salford and Stratford Theatre Royal.
“Arts and culture aren’t a luxury for a privileged few" Nandy said then. "They are for everyone, everywhere. They bring people together, open doors, and support our shared sense of belonging. That’s the role they can play as we build a stronger future for our country.”
Image courtesy Tortoise