The prime cause of Europe's emerging nationalism is anger and jealousy at the cosmopolitan elite of big money and high culture in capital cities, says Simon Jenkins.
Of the Remain campaigners few were louder than the London arts lobby. The “luvvies letter” dripped with 250 gilded Cumberbatches, Stoppards, Bonham Carters, Knightleys, Duffys and Pullmans. They were joined by Beckinsale, Rowling, Lineker, Uncle Tom Cobley and all. “Ninety-six per cent of the creative industries,” they cried, were for Remain. To them has been added the name of the departing director of the V&A, the German Martin Roth.
The actors claim their work “would never have happened without vital EU funding”. It included Slumdog Millionaire, The Iron Lady and The King’s Speech. Outside the EU, they warned, London would be “an outsider shouting from the wings”. As for Roth, he says Brexit has changed the “terms and conditions” under which he works. He is leaving “to fight the new nationalism across Europe”. It is not clear how.
I was mystified by this. A sure way to alienate an already sceptical public is for a group of high-earning celebrities to wail that their taxpayer subsidies are at risk...Keep reading on the Evening Standard
Of the Remain campaigners few were louder than the London arts lobby. The “luvvies letter” dripped with 250 gilded Cumberbatches, Stoppards, Bonham Carters, Knightleys, Duffys and Pullmans. They were joined by Beckinsale, Rowling, Lineker, Uncle Tom Cobley and all. “Ninety-six per cent of the creative industries,” they cried, were for Remain. To them has been added the name of the departing director of the V&A, the German Martin Roth.
The actors claim their work “would never have happened without vital EU funding”. It included Slumdog Millionaire, The Iron Lady and The King’s Speech. Outside the EU, they warned, London would be “an outsider shouting from the wings”. As for Roth, he says Brexit has changed the “terms and conditions” under which he works. He is leaving “to fight the new nationalism across Europe”. It is not clear how.
I was mystified by this. A sure way to alienate an already sceptical public is for a group of high-earning celebrities to wail that their taxpayer subsidies are at risk...Keep reading on the Evening Standard