Culture: SNP make it roost for failed minister, Labour see it as ‘non job’
published this on 10:21 am, Wednesday, 9th December, 2009Community News| Politics| Tourism activities | Comments (rss) | Respond | Ping |
A cry of despair from our Folk & Traditional Music Editor.
All the initial headlines on the SNP cabinet reshuffle focus on Fiona Hyslop’s failure at Education and Mike Russell’s promotion to Education.
- ‘Plot that brought down Hyslop, the minister who had lost the plot’
- ‘Policy failures sealed Hyslop’s fate’
Other than the fact that Hyslop was very unpopular with certain Councils and seen as the weak link’in the Cabinet by the opposition, I know little about her effectiveness in the role of Education Secretary.
What I do know is the message this sends everyone in the Culture sector: she could not deliver in Education, was sacked, and put in the ‘lowly role’ of Culture and External Affairs, not even up to taking on the whole of Mike Russell’s previous job, as Alex Salmond has retained the constitutional change element for himself.
As one nasty blogger put it: ‘Hyslop! Yer sacked! Naw, haud oan. Sackin’s too guid fur ye! Culture. That’s aw yer guid fur.’
If Culture is perceived to have this level of importance to the Government, will a bruised Fiona Hyslop be able to stand up to the Cabinet when ‘easy’ cuts are being looked for? (Editor: Equally importantly, will she be able to manage the ferrets-fighting-in-a-sack that is the arts sector?)
The next series of attacks shifted the focus away from the SNP’s apparent side-lining of Culture to the fringes of Cabinet responsibility and on to Labour’s response to the re -shuffle.
Scottish Labour ‘leader’, Iain Grey, described Hyslop’s role as Culture Minister as a ‘non-job’. Well, that’s pretty revelatory.
Grey’s inept and ill-considered comment caused an outpouring of sound bites from those involved in the Arts, including Sean Connery, painter John Bellamy and many others – all condemning the comments as ‘idiotic’, ‘old-fashioned’, ‘depressing’ – under the banner headline of : ‘Arts world’s anger at philistine politicians.’
Grey’s comments are a sad reminder that if Labour were to gain more power in Scotland after the next election, the party that only recently had the vision of everyone in Scotland having a ‘cultural entitlement’ has put culture and the arts way down on its list of priorities for the future.
The Arts in Scotland are certainly in turmoil and the situation is not going to be helped by the fact that Hyslop is the tenth minister for Culture in ten years, the highest turnover in government.
If the Culture portfolio is seen as either a training ground for promotion, or the dumping ground for failures elsewhere, the chances of any long term commitment to the Arts at government level becomes a remote utopian dream.
But where should ‘culture’ be as a priority? Predictably those in the arts support its elevation. Stuart Cosgrove, a Channel 4 Director said: ‘ I would always argue that culture is in the very core of Government, as opposed to the peripheral..’ Crime novelist Denise Mina commented: ‘We bring in so much money to the country, we represent Scotland all over the world, yet we have to justify culture as something that needs representation.’
It comes down to that issue of money. The Arts industry needs to talk the right language to persuade Government and local authorities that it is a good investment.
According to the Government’s own figures, the Scottish creative industries employ over 60,000 in Scotland and are worth £5.7 billion to Scotland’s economy.
As far as tourism is concerned, there is no other sector that is as important to the economy.
Curiously, at the same time as appearing to sideline culture in the results of a Cabinet re shuffle, the Government will soon be trumpeting the success of Homecoming as a magnet for tourists.
Whatever the pros and cons of Homecoming have been, any successes it has had are surely down to the cultural sector. Culture has been advanced as the core of our nationhood. People come to Scotland because of the culture. This was summarised best by one piece of feedback at a local concert: ‘The mountains, glens and lochs are the body of Scotland. Music and Arts are its soul’.
Mark Morpurgo, Folk & Traditional Music Editor
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December 9th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
What a collection of nasty and ill-informed nonsense.
So Iain Gray’s opinion of SNP ministerial changes are the unadulterated, honest, non partisan view?
I know many people who believe Fiona Hyslop was doing a good job at education and even more who understand fully that dishonest behaviour by in particular two Labour run councils who were determined to block SNP policy at the expense of children’s education were responsible for the difficulties.
Mike Russell has been put in place to lead these Labour pygmies gently into the hole they thought they were digging for the SNP. He will have them for breakfast.
Mr Morpurgo has made a good start in developing a good working relationship with the new Culture Minister – not.
Which purpose does he think he is serving?
December 9th, 2009 at 2:38 pm
Critics appear to have overlooked the point that Fiona Hyslop in her new role retains a seat in the Cabinet and clearly that is intended to convey the importance that the FM places on her and on her role.
It is Gray and the frenzy of the media that seeks to diminish the Cultural role. There are far too many there who think that a seat close to the Directors’ Box at Parkhead or Ibrox is the apogee of cultural activity.
There is certainly controversy in the Educational brief and recent figures on long term illiteracy and innumeracy suggest that these extend a long way back.Mike Russell is clearly seen to have the ability to handle the flak.
This is the first material change in the SNP Cabinet since 2007 whereas Labour/LibDem in government and in opposition play around with the shadow roles as if they were playing musical chairs on the deck of the Titanic without comment or even a flicker of interest from the general populace.
Personally, I regret that he has left the Cultural role as he is recognised as having a particular affinity for the post and I know that feeling is reciprocated by many others.
December 9th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
David
Im sorry you feel that what Im saying is rubbish. My intention was not to attack the new minister – and I dont believe she will take it as such. I thought I made it clear that I had little knowledge of her qualities in the Educ Role.
The attack on her – and, as I perceive it , on the ‘status’ of Culture was from Gray.
Culture -in its widest sense – is our unique selling feature and deserves the strongest possible focus at Govnment level.
Add to this Dougie Philand’s resignation from the role in Argyll and it is hardly surprising that local cultural groups feel tender!
Kenneth
I agree Mike R was a natural for Culture and am sure he’ll have a good crack at Education
December 9th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
I accept the apology but it reads as an attack on a woman who I personally know was working round the clock on the education brief and being absolutley tortured by a dishonest media which passes off Labour press releases as news issue.
As Ken MacColl points out Fiona keeps her cabinet rank which indicates the importance of her role.
December 9th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
As an artist I agree completely that culture is at the centre of everything we should be doing if we want Scotland to survive in any real sense. We have a unique cultural background which we should be contributing our share of to the world.
On the Mid Argyll Baths I think the problem, which has become almost intractable, must refelect badly on the three elected representatives of the Mid Argyll Ward. Everything the council does in this difficult financial climate is subjected to a bidding war with all the wards competing for the funding. Perhaps the wards that prosper have better advocates.
I believe howevver there is light at the end of the tunnel on this issue.
December 9th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
And I thought I was attacking Labour for attacking her!
For what it is worth I wish her masses of success in Culture. We certainly meed someone with vision and enthusiasm.
Hopefully Labour’s outcry will be an ‘own goal’ or they will have the grace to admit that Culture portfolio is a v real job. If they don’t I would not fancy the job of ‘Shadow’ Minister for Culture!
It hardly increases their credibiltiy!
December 12th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Now that Dougie Philand has given up the role perhaps someone will be appointed who will really drive Art, culture etc to the top of the agenda. Fair play he was a nice guy but otherwise occupied and didnt have a scoobie about the subject. There might be no money in the kitty but just as importantly there are few Councillors who could take this on with credibility. The only one I can think off is in Cowal and I dont think he would change one deputy role for another particularly when he is doing so well where he is. Having said that the replacement will have to be someone from mid argyll or Kintyre because the administration has to have geographical balance. However Fiona Hyslop works out I am more fearful that Argyll will continue to lack good leadership.
December 22nd, 2009 at 10:30 pm
“Fiona Hyslop was well respected by the teaching profession” – I am told by a great teacher.
She understood the brief very well and delivered in all that she could under difficult circumstances. She gave a great keynote speech at the SETT conference in Glasgow that even impressed the Labour supporters – I am told, but the later media saw a weakness and pounced on it. Then the threat of a confidence vote… Cultures gain is Educations loss !
…..and it has to be said the new education minister will not take any prisoners!