Labour Admit Punishing Heritage

Commenting after the Heritage debate in the House of Commons yesterday, Lib Dem Arts and Heritage Spokesman Paul Holmes MP said:

"David Lammy stated during the debate that in the previous spending review English Heritage received a critical quinquennial review, which made it clear that the organisation was bureaucratic, in need of serious modernisation, and that it was not the time to provide it with further funds.

"So our Historic Heritage has been allowed to crumble as a punishment for previous failings of English Heritage administrators? An astonishing claim!

"Does this also mean that the underfunding will now be restored - with back pay - during the Comprehensive Spending Review? Or does the demoting of English Heritage's Chair to a one day a week position mean 'punishment' will continue?

"I have written to the Minister to seek clarification and to demand answers to the questions I posed during the debate which he did not address in his response."