On the day that the Government launches a Heritage Counts report, new figures obtained by the Conservatives have highlighted the extent of the Government’s neglect of the UK’s heritage sector. These figures show a real terms decrease in Government funding from £198.8m in 1997-98 to £190.7m in 2007-08. Together with the raids on the National Lottery it is clear that Labour do not value our national heritage.
Shadow Arts Minister, Ed Vaizey commented:
“These new figures demonstrate more starkly than ever the full extent of Labour’s heritage neglect. As more and more people are taking an interest in our past it is shocking that the Government have chosen to starve heritage of funds. Heritage is at the heart of Britain’s cultural life, but despite this, it seems that to a Labour Government heritage simply doesn’t count.”