George Galloway has put down a parliamentary motion and written to the
Secretary of State for Arts and Culture over the threatened closure of three
museums, including the National Media Museum in Bradford.
Along with the media museum, two others in the same group - the National
Railway Museum in York and the Museum of Science and Industry - are threatened
with cuts or closure in the forthcoming spending review. Galloway points out
that the three are integral to Britain's cultural heritage, have outstanding
records which would be even better with more adequate funding. The closure of
the media museum, he went on, would have a devastating effect on attempts to
revive Bradford's city centre.
Motion: Threat of closure to northern museums
That this House views with alarm the possibility of the closure of the
National Media Museum in Bradford, the Museum of Science and Industry in
Manchester and the National Railway Museum in York as a result of spending cuts
to be announced in the forthcoming spending review; notes that these three
museums play an exceptionally important role in making available to people,
particularly in the north of England, the wonderful heritage Britain has in all
of these areas; further notes that all three museums have outstanding records
which would be even better with more adequate funding; further notes that the
closure or rundown of the National Media Museum in Bradford would have a
devastating effect on the attempts to revive Bradford’s city centre which has
been blighted by widespread closures , the derelict state of the iconic
Bradford Odeon and the failure thus far of the Westfield Broadway project;
believes cuts to funding jeopardising the future of these museums would not
only be an act of gross and entirely unnecessary philistinism but also
represent discrimination against the north of England; and opposes
wholeheartedly any cuts to funding of these three iconic museums.
Letter: Dear Secretary of State,
I have read with alarm this morning of the possible closure of the
National Media Museum in Bradford, the Museum of Science and Industry in
Manchester and the National Railway Museum in York, as a result of spending
cuts to be announced in the forthcoming spending review.
I trust I will not have to persuade you of the enormous role all three
of these museums have played in making available to people, particularly in the
North of England, Britain’s wonderful heritage in these various areas. All
three have an outstanding record, held back only by too little funding, not too
much. To threaten these museums with closure would be an act of the grossest
philistinism, but it would also represent a policy clearly discriminating
against the north of England. And let’s be clear the cuts which would close
these museums really is that proverbial drop in the ocean that will make
virtually no noticeable difference to the government’s deficit.
In addition, the closure or rundown of the National Media Museum in
Bradford would deal a hammer blow to the efforts to revive a city centre that
has been so badly blighted over the last few years. There has already been
closure after closure in the city centre, the iconic Odeon has been allowed to
rot and there is the most enormous hole where Westfield have failed to build a
promised shopping centre. If the city centre is to revive, it is vital that
investment is put into establishing a cultural quarter in which the National
Media Museum will be a centrepiece. The Media Museum needs more investment, not
less.
I look forward to your urgent response.