Culture ministers have no real power, so if new Minister Matthew Hancock is to be at all useful, he should focus on strengthening Arts Council England and the British Council, says Rupert Christiansen.
Since Margaret Thatcher came to power in 1979, the Minister for the Arts has changed twenty times. This particular revolving door must have turned faster than any other in government – a pace suggesting that nobody understands the purpose of the job or how to make a success of it. And do we really need a Minister for the Arts at all?
The latest incumbent, appointed by Theresa May last week, is Matthew Hancock, the bright-eyed 37-year-old MP for West Suffolk... Keep reading on The Telegraph
Since Margaret Thatcher came to power in 1979, the Minister for the Arts has changed twenty times. This particular revolving door must have turned faster than any other in government – a pace suggesting that nobody understands the purpose of the job or how to make a success of it. And do we really need a Minister for the Arts at all?
The latest incumbent, appointed by Theresa May last week, is Matthew Hancock, the bright-eyed 37-year-old MP for West Suffolk... Keep reading on The Telegraph