Major parties reveal their approach to museums, heritage, and culture in the manifestos ahead of the general election
As the general election campaign enters its final stretch, the majority of political parties have laid out their approach to supporting the museums and heritage sectors in the event of winning the leadership race.
As the public weighs its choices at the ballot box, here are the references to the museums and heritage sector within the manifestos competing for a vision for the future.
Labour
Labour’s manifesto, published this morning, has committed to improving access to cultural assets by requiring publicly funded national museums and galleries to increase the loans they make from their collections to communities across the country.
Read the Labour manifesto here
Conservatives
The Conservative Party’s manifesto focuses on the protection of national heritage – including statues, monuments and memorials.
It said it will keep its ‘retain and explain’ guidance under review “to ensure it supports custodians in the preservation of our national history and heritage”.
The party said Government “has the power to leverage philanthropy for good causes and cultural institutions” and it will “work with individuals, businesses, charities and other networks to find opportunities to unleash this even further”. It has also committed to a review of Gift Aid within the next Parliament.
Separately, it said it will launch a Seaside Heritage Fund to “support enhancements to our seaside heritage, preserving and restoring our coastal assets”.
Read the Conservative Manifesto here
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats have committed to maintain free access to national museums and galleries, and have said they would upgrade the status of tourism in government with a dedicated Minister of State for Tourism and Hospitality.
It will also boost funding for cultural and creative projects by applying to participate fully in the European Union’s Creative Europe. It has also committed to protecting arts funding via the National Lottery.
“We will support the creative and tourism industries across the UK so that businesses can thrive and people everywhere can enjoy the benefits of sports, music and the arts” it said.
It has also said it will “promote creative skills, address the barriers to finance faced by small businesses, and support modern and flexible patent, copyright and licensing rules.”
Read the Liberal Democrat Manifesto here
Green Party
The Green Party has committed to end VAT on cultural activities, “lowering the prices of everything from museum tickets to gigs in local pubs and making these more accessible.”
It has also committed to invest an extra £5bn over 5 years in combined support for community sports, arts and culture. It will “[keep] local sports facilities, museums, theatres, libraries and art galleries open and thriving” it said. It will also give local authorities discretionary powers “to exempt socially and economically essential local enterprises from business rates”.
Read the Green Party Manifesto here
Plaid Cymru
Plaid’s manifesto argues for the return of Welsh artefacts to Wales. It says artefacts held outside Wales, such as the Mold Gold Cape, the Moel Hebog Shield and the portrait of John Ystumllyn “should be returned to Wales and used in a way which benefits the nation from which they originate, rather than be held elsewhere.”
It adds that “this principle applies to other artefacts which were removed from their original country and are now hosted elsewhere.”
It writes that the “arts are for everybody”, and that this “requires partnerships between stakeholders to foster relationships between locally based cultural activities and our national institutions.
It said it remains committed to the policy of free entry to Wales’ national museums, and will work with the Urdd and Eisteddfod Genedlaethol Cymru to “ensure free tickets are available for low income families, exploring with them if this can be expanded in future years”.
It says it also supports the promotion of Welsh culture and heritage, noting the Football Museum for Wales in Wrexham and the National Gallery of Contemporary Art.
It said it will instigate a ‘Welsh Freelancers Fund’ to support the creative sector, applying “lessons learned from the Basic Income for the Arts scheme in the Republic of Ireland which has just reported the success of its first year of operation”.
Read the Plaid Cymru manifesto here
Reform
The Reform party’s ‘Contract’manifesto document does not address any policy directly relating to museums, heritage, or the culture sector but does pledge to save money by cutting “wasteful” Government department spending.
Read the Reform Manifesto here
SNP
The SNP does not mention museums or heritage directory in its manifesto. It does argue for an independent Scotland which would rejoin the EU, and in doing so provide access to the Creative Europe scheme.
Read the SNP Manifesto here
Updated 20 June 2024: Added additional information and links to SNP and Reform party manifestos.
