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You can change your cookie settings at any time Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports I would like to extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones in the appalling attacks last week has personally shared his sorrow with Prime Minister Modi the UK condemns all forms of terrorism and the extremism that sustains it The relationship between India and the UK is strong and deep and I’m deeply proud to be the first ever Labour cabinet minister of Indian heritage in the United Kingdom Our shared history is woven into the fabric of both our nations The UK is an island that has been shaped by waves of immigration who came to England in the 1950s to study and later lecture in English literature It was a journey that would lead him to go on to profoundly change and shape modern Britain through the struggle for race relations and the creation of the landmark Race Relations Act who simultaneously fought for and advanced women’s rights in the UK and independence in India a five foot tall Gujarati woman who led thousands of workers out on strike in London’s East End uniting the Labour movement in a battle that would improve the status pay and conditions of a generation of labourers These are the men and women who have helped to shape our national story in the United Kingdom and to forge modern Britain a man who made history just a few short years ago when he became the first person of Indian heritage to serve as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in all its light and dark and the deep rooted personal ties that sustain it that gives me an unshakable belief in the power of what we two nations can achieve together And stretching before us is both an historic opportunity and a challenge that our generation must rise to to forge a future that is grounded in mutual respect shared prosperity and a renewed commitment to one another we can be exemplars of how we transcend national borders and work together in our mutual interest That is why I’m so delighted to be here with you today And it is fitting that it is here in this great city that we will write the next chapter of our shared story together Many of you here will know that there are nearly two million people of Indian descent living in the United Kingdom And while Britain undoubtedly has shaped India it is equally true that India has profoundly shaped Britain a resilience and a richness that has had an immeasurable impact on British society to Great British films like ‘Bend It Like Beckham’ India has helped to define what it means to be British We deeply value this rich contribution to our national life and to our culture From Charli XCX to Nikita Chauhan and Daytimers the next generation is already powering ahead creating a vibrant tapestry of diversity and collaboration But it is our firm belief that we can do more led by the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is determined to strengthen our relationship with India across all sectors of our economy and we were delighted that our Chancellor Rachel Reeves was able to recently announce over £400 million worth of new trade and investment partnerships with India prized the relationship with Indian business for the jobs and investment they bring to parts of the UK outward looking country at the start of a decade of national renewal It’s our firm conviction that by deepening our cultural ties and we are so looking forward to strengthening the sporting ties between our nations in the coming years to promote great sporting events that are streamed all over the world I’ve been pleased to see the cricketing bonds extended beyond the field with the recent Indian investment in the majority of teams in the UK’s Hundred competition And I look forward to welcoming both India’s women’s men’s and mixed disability teams to England this summer We look back fondly as a country to the moment when we hosted London 2012 It was an incredible showcase for the UK’s talent and we share your excitement about India’s potential bid for the 2036 Olympics and Paralympic Games let our story be like Jab We Met - built on connection although we have many dramatic cricket matches still ahead of us We have named the UK creative industries as one of the eight powerhouses that will drive Britain’s growth and prosperity I was delighted to appoint Baroness Shriti Vadera Chair of Prudential PLC and the Royal Shakespeare Company to lead the development of the government’s creative industries growth strategy I’m committed to ensuring that the UK remains one of the world’s most open and supportive places for filmmakers and creatives and as you can see from my presence here today We’re backing the creative industries right across the United Kingdom just as here in India your government is backing your creative industries to the hilt Nobody could have listened to that opening speech from the Prime Minister and not understand that this is anything less than a personal signal of intent that he will leave no stone unturned in his mission to power up the untapped potential that exists in the already global success story of Indian film Now is the time to work together to put rocket boosters under our creative and cultural industries for growth the British Indian designer Harri is making waves in every corner of the globe thanks to his creativity and our backing Our government proudly supports new talent through the new gen program led by the British Fashion Council we have companies like Tara Gaming Limited creating impactful cultural digital partnerships from the UK to India Chila Burman is quite literally lighting up the world with her artwork backed by the British Arts Council and great British institutions like the Tate at whose Liverpool gallery she will shortly exhibit one of the UK’s greatest cultural institutions now with artistic director Indhu Rubasingham which includes a new adaptation of The Jungle Book with Anupama Chandrasekhar and a retelling of Hamlet starring Hiran Abeysekera And as only one of three countries in the world that is a net exporter of music we are delighted that the vibrancy of the British music scene is being powered by artists like Ed Sheeran whose collaborations have brought fans flocking to stadiums from Manchester to Mumbai to unique British public service broadcasters like the BBC who are a vital part of the UK’s creative economy and they ensure that we have the skilled workforce We’re one of the most attractive places to invest in and collaborate not least because of our competitive tax reliefs including a new credit we launched for independent film and visual effects as well as the high quality studios and our skilled workforce across the whole of the UK production spend in the UK increased by 31% testament to our global reputation as a world leading centre for international film and TV production But we also benefit from India’s media and entertainment sector one of the largest and most dynamic in the entire world reach and creative energy are nothing short of phenomenal My ambition is for our cooperation to lead a cinematic revolution that has impacts far beyond the screen Both the UK and India boast rich cinematic traditions and share a deep mutual interest in each other’s storytelling cultures who was herself inspired by our very own Gurinder Chadha Films from India regularly account for around 30% of non-English language releases in the United Kingdom and there is a new wave of Indian independent cinema telling fresh stories to the world a shining example of cross cultural partnership tackling the most important of shared challenges - the climate crisis - by UK-based Fingerprint Content and the India Cine Hub I see enormous potential for greater collaboration between our two countries While our successes in these sectors are driving growth in our economies providing good quality jobs across every part of our countries collaboration can take this to a whole new level Indian directors bringing their vision to British audiences and streaming services that offer a bridge between our two cultures across the creative industries in goods services and especially audio-visual services India is one of our most important partners Given the size of our markets and the scale and quality of our TV and film sectors we signed the UK-India Film Co-Production Treaty to act as a foundation for partnership in the audio visual sectors Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and I will agree and sign a bilateral Cultural Cooperation Agreement on behalf of our two great nations This agreement will bring together flagship UK and Indian cultural institutions the Science Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum many of whom are with us here at WAVES this week But we also have over 1,700 accredited museums across the UK with expertise in every subject you can name with many potential partnerships available to our Indian counterparts Behind this treaty - what breathes life into this treaty - is the passion the creativity and the human connections across our thriving creative industries and the power of friendship and collaboration between our nations it feels we’ve lost the ability to understand one another across the world let us use our strengths as the greatest storytellers in the world to bring nations together Let’s empower the next generation of storytellers from Mumbai to Manchester music and arts Britain and India lead the world and we can rise to this moment of a divided world together and is and will abide; Still glides the stream to collaborate and to inspire the world together says: “We will shoot joy through the dust of the earth old love but in shapes That renew and renew forever.” Thank you very much Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details Update your browser to view this website correctly. Update my browser now Lisa Nandy said that the government "doesn't want to do anything to deter investment" in the UK's TV and film industry Lisa Nandy said that the government “doesn’t want to do anything to deter investment” in the UK’s TV and film industry the UK’s Secretary of State for Culture has said the government is “reluctant” to introduce a levy on streaming services Media and Sport (CMS) committee called for a share of the revenue streaming services make from subscription fees to be paid into a fund to support British High-End TV production The report said the major streaming services should “put their money where their mouth is” adding that they should pay “5 per cent of their UK subscriber revenue into a cultural fund to help finance drama with a specific interest to British audiences” However, in an interview with Variety “We would be very reluctant to introduce additional levies at a time when business is booming,” she added and we’re able to attract huge amounts of investment that help to create good jobs in every part of the country.” Nandy also discussed the impact of technology on the UK’s creative sector stating: “Technology is really going to democratise the film industry because it makes it far easier and cheaper for smaller startups and indies to make high quality films and to compete with bigger studios,” Jenny Priestley Jenny has worked in the media throughout her career She has also been an entertainment reporter interviewing everyone from Kermit and Miss Piggy to Tom Hanks; and spent almost 20 years appearing on radio Tags ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ © 2025 Future Publishing Limited, Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A senior Government minister who previously called for the monarchy to be scrapped has said she has changed her mind about the royals Lisa Nandy said during the 2020 Labour leadership campaign she would vote to abolish the monarchy if such a ballot was held but she insisted it would not be a priority for her Ms Nandy was asked by ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Wednesday whether she had changed her mind in the years since, during which Labour has come to power and she has begun serving as Culture Secretary. Ms Nandy said she had been able to work closely with members of the royal family since coming into Government, on issues like tackling knife crime, and the UK Soft Power Council aimed at extending Britain’s influence abroad. She added: “Yes, I have changed my mind about that. I think, in principle I believe that people should have the power to decide who rules them. “But I think the monarchy under the Queen and under this current King command strong public support. “I think right now, if you look at the turmoil going on in the world, then we do need a royal family who are able to help us to deliver the benefits to Britain. “So I’m not afraid to say when I change my mind and I have changed my mind about that.” Culture secretary will visit Mumbai and Delhi as she seeks deeper creative arts ties LISA NANDY has said the UK hopes to forge a “closer cultural partnership” with India after she returns from her first trip to Mumbai and New Delhi as secretary of state for culture media and sport from Thursday (1) to Sunday (4) She made the promise at a reception hosted jointly last week by her department and the High Commission of India at the St James Court Taj Hotel in central London including representatives of the British Indian arts fraternity held a minute’s silence to remember the victims of the terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam in Kashmir in which at least 26 people were killed and many injured Speaking about the “appalling terror attacks” Nandy said she wanted “to offer our deepest condolences on behalf of the UK government to the families and to the victims and to offer our full support in their pursuit of justice and peace” “The relationship between India and the UK has always been strong and deep “As the prime minister [Sir Keir Starmer] has already said we offer our deepest sympathies and we stand united with you in grief – and that (UK-India) relationship is personal for me.” who was introduced by the Indian high commissioner “Some of you will know that my dad grew up in Calcutta,” she said “He still calls it Calcutta (rather than Kolkata) and that is where my Indian family still live “They are intensely irritated I’m going to Mumbai and Delhi I’ve had to promise that I will go back very soon.” (Ann) Luise Byers – the daughter of Lord Byers who was former leader of the Liberals in the House of Lords who was born in Calcutta (now Kolkata) in 1936 and emigrated to Britain in 1956 He was an academic who was prominent in race relations and was the first director of the Runnymede Trust deeply proud of my Indian heritage,” Nandy said you live your life at a tangent to the world “And as the daughter of a dad who was born and grew up in India I really understand that it gives you a different perspective on the world It gives you a different perspective on society And I’ve always felt very much a global citizen with a deep to Indian culture and to the Indian people “I’m so delighted to be returning to India next week as the UK secretary of state for culture is determined to strengthen our relationship with India across all sectors of our economy.” and it’s a city that was shaped by waves of immigration and always has been throughout our history like so many of our towns and villages and cities across the UK that is home to a strong British Indian community who have helped to define what it means to be British She mentioned a number of prominent British Indians in the arts: “It is thanks to the contribution of brilliant actors like Dev Patel who has ensured that British Indian people are reflected in the story that we tell about ourselves as a nation a story that is now told and known all over the world.” Nandy had met the designer Harri (real name Harikrishnan Keezhathil Surendran Pillai) who was “at the forefront of British fashion Kerala born and at the forefront of British fashion are the pioneers who showed my generation growing up as a mixed-race kid with proud Indian heritage in Manchester that we belong to this nation and that our nation is enriched by the unique contribution of British Indians “You helped to shape and forge our sense of identity and you gave us a sense of pride and confidence in who we are and I can’t personally thank you all enough for doing that for us That is the message that I’ll be taking to Mumbai and to Delhi we will be seeking to forge a closer cultural partnership one that will light up the world like the brilliant art of Chila Burman.” She concluded by saying: “We’re having to navigate stormy times But this relationship right now is more important than ever a relationship that evolves but will always endure we’ve lived through so many chapters together The high commissioner alluded to that in all of their light and dark She finished by quoting sentiments from Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore one of her favourite poets: “In this next era we will shoot in joy through the dust of the earth but in shapes that renew and renew forever.” The culture secretary with Shailesh Solanki and Kalpesh Solanki from the Asian Media Group (AMG) Nandy was preceded by the high commissioner who focused on the terrorist attack: “It is an important point to reaffirm who we are and how creativity and the creative arts offer us an escape and a response to people whose only initiative and incentive seems to be to find ways of using violence as the first recourse rather than the last In a world in which increasingly things are fractious the creative arts are the best antidote we have to the hatred that often fills our minds “It is an opportunity to celebrate the partnership between India and the United Kingdom Because if there is one strand in our long sometimes complex but very enriching journey together as people and as cultures it has been this warp and weft of our relationship in culture Doraiswami spoke of Bollywood film locations in the City of London; the love of Shakespeare and PG Wodehouse in a country where 145 million people spoke English; the Jaipur Literary Festival; Indian classical dance and music that is performed in the UK; [musician] Apache Indian “The time is really now for India and the UK to look ahead on what the next generation of creativity could be,” the high commissioner said “The secretary of state’s visit to us is a huge opportunity to rediscover our partnership to celebrate it afresh and to have great fun in doing so.” Gurwinder died of cancer before the trial concluded RAVI YADAV has been sentenced to nine years in prison for raping his wife Gurwinder Kaur and for subjecting her to financial abuse and coercive control during their marriage The sentencing took place at a UK court on May 1 after a jury found him guilty based on evidence including a voice recording Gurwinder made on 19 March 2020 capturing the assault The court heard she had been called upstairs under the pretext of a financial discussion The recording included her pleas for him to stop while their children were nearby The case is one of the rare instances where a rape conviction has been secured after the victim’s death The Crown Prosecution Service initially declined to proceed but reversed its decision following pressure from Southall Black Sisters (SBS) and community members Ms Recorder S Wass KC sentenced Yadav to eight years for rape under Category 2B with an additional 12 months for aggravating factors She rejected arguments to reduce the sentence and his financial control despite owning three properties Gurwinder had reported the rape in January 2020 Yadav was arrested in August 2020 and later released on bail SBS supported her in obtaining legal orders to prevent further contact Evidence from Gurwinder and her children played a key role in the conviction ttendees were also treated to traditional food Surrey’s first gurdwara has officially opened in Camberley marking a significant milestone for the local Sikh community was attended by around 1,000 people and featured a range of cultural and religious activities Visitors to the newly established Guru Nanak Gurdwara Camberley took part in prayers Attendees were also treated to traditional food and witnessed the unveiling of a new artwork by British Sikh artist Amandeep Singh Sikhs living in Surrey had to travel long distances to mark religious and family occasions such as weddings and funerals Many commuted by train to Southampton or drove into London often spending hours in transit for access to a gurdwara Deepak Singh Udassi, one of the fundraisers behind the project, described the opening of a local place of worship as meaning “everything” to the community. The Guru Nanak Gurdwara Camberley charity raised £1.5 million to convert a former military building on London Road into a fully functioning gurdwara said the transformation of the building was driven by the efforts and dedication of local volunteers She described the renovation as “an outpouring of love” noting that community members contributed their time and skills to the project Since moving into the building five months ago the gurdwara has been developed entirely by the community Dr Kaur Gill noted that volunteers designed and crafted the goldwork and religious images within the space the gurdwara aims to serve the wider community Organisers plan to provide food to anyone in need and offer a variety of educational and wellbeing activities as well as lessons in Punjabi and Gurmukhi the script used to write the Punjabi language The new gurdwara is expected to become a central hub for both spiritual and community life in the region offering a much-needed local facility for Surrey’s Sikh population while welcoming people from all backgrounds Yusuf acknowledged that the party may not be able to stop asylum seekers from being placed in hotels where the Home Office already has contracts with accommodation providers REFORM UK chair Zia Yusuf has said the party will use “every instrument of power” to resist housing people seeking asylum in council areas where it has gained control Speaking on BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg Yusuf said the party is exploring legal avenues including judicial reviews and planning laws to prevent the use of accommodation for asylum seekers in these areas “A lot of these hotels – there has been litigation around this already – a lot of these hotels when you suddenly turn them into something else that falls foul of any number of regulations and that’s what our teams of lawyers are exploring at the moment,” he said His comments followed remarks by Reform leader Nigel Farage who said the party would “resist” housing asylum seekers in the 10 council areas where it made gains in Thursday’s local elections Reform UK has also said it wants to cut spending by reducing roles linked to diversity Yusuf said taskforces would be introduced to audit council spending and examine job roles they do not currently have somebody with the job title ‘DEI officer’ [but] they do spend considerable money on DEI initiatives,” he said Yusuf added that the party was “realistic” about the limited powers of local councils compared to Westminster stating: “That’s why this is part of a journey to making Nigel the prime minister with a Reform majority.” Reform’s newly elected Greater Lincolnshire mayor and former Conservative MP told LBC she supported housing immigrants in tents instead of hotels “This is taxpayers’ money and it should actually be tents Jenkyns also called for staff cuts at Lincolnshire county council [we] ought to look at maybe cutting the workforce by up to 10% She added that discussions were ongoing as a Reform county council leader had not yet been elected Jenkyns said she was “up for a fight” with the unions after the head of Unison encouraged staff in Reform-run councils to join for protection Union Jack flags are displayed on Regent Street St James's ahead of VE Day 80 on May 4 THE UK on Monday began four days of events to mark 80 years since the end of World War II and a Buckingham Palace balcony appearance by the royal family The events are expected to be the final major commemoration attended by those who served in the Second World War “This will be the last major commemoration for which anyone will still be alive who actually served in the Second World War,” monarchy specialist Robert Hazell of University College London told AFP The commemorations started in London with a flypast and military parade watched by the royal family and prime minister Keir Starmer ALSO READ: VE Day 80: UK Prepares for Historic 2025 Commemorations As European countries prepare to mark Victory in Europe (VE) Day on May 8 King Charles told the Italian parliament last month that the war in Ukraine is a reminder “that peace is never to be taken for granted” the echoes of those times –– which we fervently hoped had been consigned to history –– reverberate across our continent,” the king said is expected to appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony in the afternoon The royal family and thousands of people are expected to watch the military procession along The Mall in central London ALSO READ: Public invited to attend VE Day 80 procession and flypast King George VI and Queen Elizabeth appeared on the same balcony with then prime minister Winston Churchill and their daughters to greet large crowds celebrating the end of the war in Europe were allowed to leave the palace and join the crowds Elizabeth later described the night as “one of the most memorable” of her life She had served during the war as a volunteer driver and mechanic and was in uniform pulling her cap low to avoid being recognised A reception at Buckingham Palace on Monday will celebrate veterans and others from the WWII generation “It’s important to remember some of the poor devils who didn’t make it like I did,” 99-year-old Royal Air Force veteran Dennis Bishop told AFP One of the events includes a party on HMS Belfast People across the UK are also invited to attend hundreds of street parties and commemorations leading up to VE Day on Thursday Queen Camilla will visit an art installation of about 30,000 ceramic red poppies at the Tower of London The commemorations will end on Thursday with a two-minute national silence at noon (1100 GMT) observed by the royal family and at government buildings King Charles and Queen Camilla will attend a thanksgiving service at Westminster Abbey followed by a concert at Horse Guards Parade in London Pubs across the country have been given permission to stay open two hours later as part of the celebrations “This 80th anniversary is a moment of national unity,” Starmer said in a statement honour the memory of those who lost their lives and remember the sacrifices made by so many to secure our freedom.” King Charles is also expected to mark the two-year anniversary of his coronation on Tuesday by unveiling a new portrait of himself at the National Gallery Leader of Reform UK Nigel Farage cheers while addressing supporters and the media at Staffordshire County Showground after Reform won control of Staffordshire County Council winning 49 out of 62 seats available with 41 per cent of the overall votes on May 2 United Kingdom.(Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images) WITH a thumping success in local elections the hard-right Reform UK party has loosened Britain's two-party stranglehold and is already eyeing Downing Street which formed from the remnants of its firebrand leader Nigel Farage's Brexit party swept over 670 local council seats as well as its first two mayoral posts In its biggest win of Thursday's (1) poll, the anti-immigration party also narrowly took a parliamentary seat in a by-election in Runcorn from prime minister Keir Starmer's centre-left Labour "We can and we will win the next general election" which is expected in around four years Farage declared to newly elected Reform councillors in Staffordshire in the west Midlands Although the polls took place for only a fraction of the country's local seats the results confirm Reform UK's growing popularity after its breakthrough in last year's general election in which it picked up five seats "This is the best performance by a populist radical right party we've ever seen in this country," said Tim Bale politics professor at London's Queen Mary University Reform has tapped into discontent over high costs and immigration numbers as well as disillusionment with Britain's two main parties which have dominated political life for decades and insists he wants "to make Britain great again" His party has also vowed to remove DEI -- diversity inclusion and equality -- hiring practices from councils in which it has been elected Farage's approach appears to be working with Reform regularly leading in national voting intention polls Zia Yusuf addresses Reform UK supporters and the media as the party celebrates historic local election victories on May 02 said he finds Farage "inspiring" After 30 years of backing the Conservatives Sherliker voted for Reform this by-election because he was "very worried" about immigration levels "We're all hopeful for some change," he said Reform was still struggling to control its rank and file having to pull support from several general election candidates who made racist remarks The party has since boosted its presence on the ground and transformed itself into an electoral machine "They're very clever at the way that they've pushed their agenda on to quite a underprivileged white town" like Runcorn which claims it has more than 225,000 members sent the most number of candidates out to local ballots political science researcher at the University of Essex Farage made frequent visits to rural areas small towns and post-industrial centres in decline "We're fed up with the way we're being treated The country's going downhill," rued Gillian Brady in Runcorn citing high taxes and immigration as well as difficulties accessing the heaving NHS public healthcare system Reform has also appealed to those who believe that British identity is threatened a grooming scandal which first emerged over a decade ago involving the sexual abuse of primarily white British girls by men of mostly south Asian origin political science professor at King's College London Many now consider it "their only option" the standard bearer for the traditional right for 200 years and in power for much of that time several of the party's elected representatives have jumped ship for Reform in recent months Farage has rejected offers of a future alliance with the Conservatives declaring that Reform "sank" them "Now the hard work begins," stressed Martin Murray a freshly elected Reform councillor in Staffordshire Murray called on his fellow councillors to "show our competence because because that will show the whole country we are serious" The question is whether Farage -- who has a track record of falling out with colleagues -- has it in him to direct his new army of local representatives He has already ousted one of the five MPs elected last year after disagreements While Reform may have shattered one "glass ceiling" by breaking down the two-party deadlock "There are far more people who don't like Nigel Farage than there are people who like him." As the tariff war between China and the US rages on Sir Keir Starmer is hoping to avoid taking retaliatory action over Donald Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs – and instead negotiate a transatlantic trade deal with his American counterparts But while Starmer’s army now insists coming to an agreement is their preferred option it’s worth remembering that Labour politicians haven’t always looked upon negotiations with Trump quite so favourably – as Good Morning Britain’s Ed Balls was quick to point out in today’s interview with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy Grilling the parliamentarian over the airwaves this morning Balls – an ex-Labour MP himself – reminded Nandy that in opposition she had blasted then-Tory Prime Minister Boris Johnson as ‘pathetic’ for approaching the US for a post-Brexit trade deal Already a subscriber? Log in Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for £3 Already a subscriber? Log in Exclusive: culture secretary says predecessors ‘vandalised’ the arts and pledges state funding for every community The Conservatives’ “violent indifference” to the arts has resulted in communities across the country getting poor access to culture, Lisa Nandy has said ahead of a planned funding review. The culture secretary accused her Tory predecessors of “vandalism” as she pledged to get state funding to every community and make sure that private philanthropy reached beyond the major cities. In an interview with the Guardian, Nandy said: “Over the last 14 years, there’s been a vandalism of the arts. Violent indifference to areas of the country that are becoming arts deserts. They were just not interested in arts everywhere, for everyone.” The starkest example was in the school curriculum, she said, with Tory ministers labelling arts subjects “Mickey Mouse” and “erasing” them from the classroom, with the numbers taking arts GCSEs dropping by 47% since 2010. “That closes off the opportunity for every child to live a richer, larger life,” she said. “Unless you have a creative education, you don’t have a complete education.” Labour has launched a curriculum review to put subjects such as music, art and drama back at the heart of learning. The government is continuing with a review into Arts Council England as well as a review of the funding landscape, as the sector has become increasingly reliant on philanthropic donations that generally go to the major institutions, while council funding has been cut. However, Nandy defended the Arts Council from claims it had become too political, arguing that the arts “helps us understand the world around us and shape the future”, providing a response during periods of great upheaval. As culture secretary, she is responsible for public appointments to lead major cultural institutions, and said she was “horrified” when she saw her department’s statistics, which were far from representative of the country. Instead, she said she would draw on the widest pool of talent, and had already reappointed some Tory hires. However, she insisted she would take a fundamentally different approach from the Conservatives to public appointments. “No more cosy clubs and jobs for your mates,” she said. “We’re going to draw on the widest pool of talent. Talent is everywhere. Opportunity is not”. Ministers are looking at the repatriation of precious objects from British museums, she revealed, and are already holding discussions with institutions including the British Museum, after its chair, the former chancellor George Osborne, approached her. Read moreShe admitted there were different views across the museums sector but said she wanted the government’s approach to be consistent Local museums can currently make their own decisions Keir Starmer has said there are no plans to change the law to return the Parthenon sculptures permanently to Greece She was particularly critical of successive Tory governments for undermining and attacking not just the BBC but most public service broadcasters, with a “constant war of words” and attempts to interfere in editorial decisions. “Our government will be different,” she pledged. Free daily newsletterOur morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what’s happening and why it matters She insisted it was not up to her to comment on whether Robbie Gibb, a former Theresa May aide, should remain on the BBC board. “I would feel really uncomfortable with the idea of a secretary of state interfering beyond their remit,” she said. Nandy said that she respected BBC independence, but was still able to challenge the director general on the public’s expectations and responses to issues like the Huw Edwards scandal, adding that “individuals are not beyond being held accountable because they’re too powerful to be challenged”. The government remained committed to the licence fee at least until the end of this BBC charter review period, in 2027, and possibly beyond. But she acknowledged the system had challenges and said “no options are off the table” when it comes to what replaces it, including mutualisation. She praised local media for its response to the summer riots, but was concerned about the decline of local papers in the UK. The government is planning a specific local media strategy to recognise the importance of the sector. In the sporting part of her brief, Nandy denied that plans for a football regulator could lead to government interference in the sport, arguing it was the “only sensible approach” to prevent more small clubs going under. “We intend to deliver it, not because we want to interfere in football, we don’t, but because football has been unable to come to its own agreement,” she said. “The bill incentivises football to do that, with a regulator to step in if it can’t.” Nandy said she would take a “sensible and proportionate” approach to betting firms sponsoring teams, and defended interim England manager Lee Carsley’s decision not to sing the national anthem. Noopur Jambhekar | Thursday 10 April 2025 08:38 BST Lisa Nandy has publicly reversed her stance on the monarchy after previously voicing her desire to vote to abolish the institution During her 2020 Labour leadership campaign, she stated being a Democrat, she’d vote to abolish the monarchy. However, speaking on Wednesday’s (9 April) Good Morning Britain, the senior Labour minister cited her collaborative work with the royal family on initiatives like tackling knife crime and the UK Soft Power Council as influencing her shift. Ms Nandy said the nation needs a royal family “who are able to help us to deliver the benefits to Britain” due to the ongoing turmoil in the world. Kim Kardashian wears Marilyn Monroe’s dress As Baltimore begins the process of planning to replace the Francis Scott Key Bridge, labor experts have pointed to how Latino workers will be the one who rebuild it. Anderson Clayton attends the North Carolina Young Democrats Convention in Durham. 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Prince Louis caught brushing down Price Williams jacket during VE Day celebrations The 1998 diesel has been converted into a stylish two-bed Beckham luciendo su peinado mohicano antes de un amistoso internacional contra México en 2001 A government-backed scheme supporting emerging musicians in overseas markets will be reviewed following outcry over comments attributed to a group that received funding through the initiative Belfast rappers Kneecap were awarded £15,000 through the Music Export Growth Scheme last year but it was subsequently withdrawn on the order of then Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch on the basis that the group was “opposed to the United Kingdom” The group went on to win a discrimination case against the UK government in November after a judge ruled that Badenoch’s actions were “unlawful and procedurally unfair” The new Labour government decided against contesting the judgment claiming it is “not in the public interest” footage of the group at a concert in November 2023 has emerged in which one band member appears to say: “The only good Tory is a dead Tory Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said the government intends to review the Music Export Growth Scheme run by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on behalf of the Department for Business and Trade has invested more than £7 million in British music over 22 rounds leading to an estimated £55.5 million financial return to the UK economy “This is something we inherited from the last government,” Nandy told the Telegraph but it’s also a situation [regarding Kneecap] we inherited because the now leader of the opposition was trying to prevent the grant being given to them we have a duty to bring that to an end by protecting taxpayers’ money “But we are so deeply concerned about all of the things that have made up this case that we’re now reviewing the whole scheme.” A statement posted on X by Kneecap yesterday (28 April) said they rejected “any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual They added that “an extract of footage Addressing the families of murdered MPs Sir David Amess and Jo Cox we never intended to cause you hurt.” You must be logged in to post a comment Culture secretary says viewers will switch to streaming services if TV channels’ shows do not connect with them Britain’s TV industry will not survive unless it diversifies as viewers will switch to streaming services if shows do not connect with them, Lisa Nandy has warned. The culture secretary said it was clear the TV industry had a “major problem” with diversity, given the last survey on class found only 8% of people in the industry were self-defined as working-class compared with around 45-50% of the population. The statistics are even worse when it comes to race, with only approximately 3% of directors in the TV industry coming from a black background. Nandy fears that, if people continue to rely on streaming services, Britain will become a fragmented society. Speaking to the Guardian, she said: “If the shows that [they] make don’t look like and feel like the country, if they’re not relevant to people, if they don’t directly connect with people, then they’ll switch off. “And that’s what we’re seeing. We’re seeing people leaving TV to go to either streaming [services] or online and that in itself is really dangerous, not just for the TV industry but for the country, because it’s atomising. “I really think that TV won’t survive unless it addresses this question.” This is the second time as culture secretary that Nandy has warned TV industry leaders about the lack of diversity. She admitted the amount of information the government had on diversity within this industry was “very, very poor” given there are a lot of freelancers. So as part of her three-step plan, the cabinet minister hopes to bolster statistics on the industry’s workforce, as it will be “difficult to make excuses when the information is there in black and white”; expand the government’s “creative careers programme”, which Labour has already done in its first budget; and promote the “national story” initiative, which launched on Monday. Read moreThe creative careers programme is designed and led by industry, funded by the government to raise awareness about the range of jobs available. Since 2023, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport has provided funding so that insiders can work with teachers, parents and careers advisers to help young people who do not have connections to the industry to find ways in. It was launched under the Conservatives in 2023 and received £3m of investment in the budget last month. However, it remains the case that younger adults from working-class backgrounds are four times less likely to work in the creative industries compared with their middle-class peers, according to the Sutton Trust. The charity’s research also revealed the extent of the problem in the UK’s arts and music industries. It said that 43% of Britain’s bestselling classical musicians and 35% of Bafta-nominated actors went to private schools, despite the fact that just 7% of British people attend such schools. “This is about going to schools and helping young people to get not just the skills that they need but also just the belief that this industry is for them,” Nandy said. “Attracting young people from diverse backgrounds into the industry is one thing, but if what they then find is that they can’t progress, then we’re not doing them or us any favours.” Read moreAs part of the final step in her plan, Nandy hopes her national story project will thrive, as a means of “bringing in some of the most thoughtful people to have a much better debate about how we deal with problems that governments for decades have been promising to solve but haven’t”. She added: “I strongly believe governments don’t change things, people do, but they need a government to walk alongside them and partner with them to do it.” Addressing concerns about funding for grassroots music venues, the culture secretary said she “obviously” wanted to implement statutory levies on arena and stadium tickets to help raise funds, but first wanted to see if the industry could “get its own house in order”. Nandy added that the voluntary levies were showing “promising signs of success”, having met the musician Ed Sheeran and other industry leaders to discuss this. The Commons culture, media and sport committee has welcomed the government’s backing for a levy to support the struggling grassroots music sector but has called for ministers to set a clear deadline for the industry to act. Last month, the committee said that if no significant progress were made it would hold a hearing with the sector in six months’ time. Nandy also noted the government was considering various funding models to help struggling freelancers in the industry, given the vast amount of unpaid internships. Lisa Nandy is set to announce millions of pounds in extra funding for arts and cultural venues on Thursday including a 5% budget increase for all national museums and art galleries The Culture Secretary is expected to use a speech in Stratford-upon-Avon, birthplace of William Shakespeare, to announce a new £270 million Arts Everywhere Fund to help organisations in urgent need of financial support The announcement marks 60 years since the first arts white paper, issued by Labour arts minister Jennie Lee, that promised a vision of “arts for everyone, everywhere”. For years to come, this new investment will help more people in more places to flourish by finding joy and connections with high-quality culture close to home Ahead of her speech, Ms Nandy said: “Arts and culture help us understand the world we live in, they shape and define society and are enjoyed by people in every part of our country. “They are the building blocks of our world-leading creative industries and make a huge contribution towards boosting growth and breaking down barriers to opportunities for young people to learn the creative skills they need to succeed in Britain. “The funding we are announcing today will allow the arts to continue to flourish across Britain, creating good jobs and growth by fixing the foundations in our cultural venues, museums, libraries and heritage institutions.” Ms Nandy is expected to give her speech to a group of leading figures from the arts and culture sectors at the Royal Shakespeare Company. As well as the budget increase for national museums and galleries, she is expected to commit to a series of investments including £85 million for capital works at arts venues, £25 million to maintain museums, £15 million to restore heritage buildings at risk and £5.5 million to improve libraries. British Museum director Nicholas Cullinan said the announcement was “a wonderful investment in the UK’s museums sector”, while Natural History Museum director Doug Gurr said it would provide “a vital lifeline to ensure we continue to reach and inspire audiences locally, nationally, globally”. The announcement follows Labour’s manifesto pledge last year to improve access to the arts, saying they should “no longer be the preserve of a privileged few”. It also follows the Deputy Prime Minister’s announcement earlier in the week of £67 million for 10 cultural projects across the UK. Darren Henley, chief executive of Arts Council England, said Thursday was “a good news day for arts organisations, museums and libraries”. He added: “We know how much cultural places and spaces are valued in towns and cities across the land. “For years to come, this new investment will help more people in more places to flourish by finding joy and connections with high-quality culture close to home.” London is no longer one of the top five wealthiest cities in the world after losing a higher proportion of millionaires than anywhere other than Moscow It comes after a report found that London is no longer one of the top five wealthiest cities in the world after losing a higher proportion of millionaires than anywhere other than Moscow conducted by New World Wealth for advisory firm Henley and Partners said the UK’s capital has lost 11,300 dollar millionaires over the past year including 18 centimillionaires - someone who has more than $100m - and two billionaires Critics have blamed Labour’s overhauling of the non-dom tax regime that allowed international millionaires to live in the country while paying lower taxes Asked about the findings, Lisa Nandy primarily blamed Brexit for the issues and said the Labour government is “taking the right approach” and “striking the right balance” when it comes to taxing wealth and supporting business The culture secretary told Sky News: “The report points to a variety of factors that have led to that, most specifically Brexit, and one of the things that we're committed to doing as a government is making sure that we get a far better deal with the European Union that make sure that we can continue to support British business because music artists aren't able to tour from the UK and the EU and vice versa so closer cooperation is in people's interests.” She added: “But the tax regime in Britain is still highly competitive We've got the lowest main rate of corporation tax in the G7 and ‘why aren't you taxing wealthy people more?’ “The fact that you're challenging me today to say is the tax rate too high shows that we're taking the right approach and we're striking the right balance.” has estimated that Brexit would wipe 4 per cent per annum from the UK’s economy in the long run as a result of an increase in non-tariff barriers on UK-EU trade Sir Keir Starmer is currently attempting to pursue a “reset” with the European Union pledging to “make Brexit work” by renegotiating the deal agreed upon by Boris Johnson and the Tories The exodus of millionaires comes as a new system took effect this week requiring those with a permanent home abroad but living in the UK to pay the same level of taxation as everyone else The study, conducted before the fallout after the announcement of Donald Trump’s tariffs found that London is only one of two cities in the top 50 which now has fewer rich people than a decade ago has lost 12 per cent of its wealthiest residents since 2014 The report says the fall has come as a result of Brexit tax rises and a fall in the value of the pound Moscow has lost 25 per cent of its wealthiest primarily as a result of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine The study comes amid growing calls for the government to implement a wealth tax after Labour took an axe to the UK’s ballooning welfare bill, with an estimated 1 million disabled people expected to lose their benefits But Paul Johnson, the director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, last month told The Independent that “no country in the world has ever successfully had a wealth tax that’s raised serious money”, saying the levy poses significant administrative problems. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies govt and politics"},{"score":0.844201,"label":"/society/work/unemployment"},{"score":0.804039,"label":"/finance/financial news"},{"score":0.708371,"label":"/law Lisa Nandy claims","description":"London is no longer one of the top five wealthiest cities in the world after losing a higher proportion of millionaires than anywhere other than Moscow With almost no practical plans for bringing UK culture back to strength after 14 years of ‘violent indifference’ the culture secretary repeated the ‘we love you but there’s no money’ mantra On the day that the National Theatre revived Shakespeare’s tragedy about a leader who suffers after refusing to tell the people what they want to hear, culture secretary Lisa Nandy proved that she is no Coriolanus On the surface, at least, her speech to the Labour conference on Tuesday told arts lovers on the left exactly what they would have hoped for There have been 14 years of Conservative “violent indifference” to the arts allied to education policy and local government de-funding that has “erased culture and creativity from our classrooms and communities” the cultural community will become “essential partners in the country we seek to build” This would include “kickstarting the charter review to ensure the BBC survives and thrives” Showing a preference for metaphors involving violent foot movements Nandy will also “kick off a review of the Arts Council to ensure arts for everyone” A few hours later, at the opening night of Coriolanus at the National many arts lovers were indeed grooving to a mood music much more attractive than the anti-arts protest songs since 2010: from George Osborne’s austerity to Nadine Dorries’ asperity lamented that Nandy’s introduction by Imogen Grant an Olympic rowing gold medallist – rather than an actor or writer – might extend a fear of elitism and niche excellence that has felt inherent in Labour arts policy in recent years Nandy is also in charge of sport but Grant as an amateur athlete who is now a junior doctor is an imperfect role model for those in the arts ‘She will play a tiny violin to requests for significant new cash’ … Lisa Nandy at the Labour party conference Photograph: Adam Vaughan/EPAThe biggest objection – typically in a sector that feels underfunded – was that the speech was more about sounds than pounds Labour held a briefing/reception for the arts community The expectation at the time was that Thangam Debbonaire This was exciting for many as she is a highly talented cellist and champion of classical music although the policy positions outlined led some of those running arts venues to contemplate dusting off their school instruments and busking on the street was: “We love you to bits but there’s no money.” Bristol Central voters preferred the Greens’ Carla Denyer to Debbonaire making Nandy a rare member of the Starmer cabinet who was not previously a shadow while a lesser cellist than the intended incumbent the surprise culture secretary suggested in Liverpool that she will play a tiny violin to requests for significant new cash it was a love song performed with hands in empty pockets beyond that old Whitehall time-staller: reviews But it wouldn’t have been worth even asking Rachel Reeves Targeted advertising and accessible ticket pricing … Tosin Cole as Dre and Heather Agyepong as Des in Shifters Photograph: Tristram Kenton/the GuardianVenues around the UK already required to fill out forms of Anna Karenina length in pursuit of grants may also balk at the implications of having to provide yet more data about social reach and community outreach which are not always the best measures of excellence Nandy risks restarting long and probably unresolvable arguments about the relative value of an arts pound in Southwark BBC staff and broadcast unions will be calmed after 14 years of threatened wrecking balls by the promise to preserve the corporation However – perhaps counterintuitively – some in senior positions at the BBC were alarmed by Starmer’s early pledge to defend the licence fee With hundreds of thousands of viewers each year now refusing to pay what they see as a state-imposed broadcasting tax regardless of ideological or historical attachment Significantly raising the fee from the current £169.50 a year – either for all or at different levels according to wealth – would surely increase both evasion and resentment towards the corporation Just try watching Apple+’s Slow Horses alongside BBC1’s Nightsleeper and calculate the size of licence fee needed to compete with streaming budgets There is a strong case for Labour seriously examining how a subscription system (topping up a basic package of news) might work through the iPlayer That might make it impossible to pay someone a £million-plus to introduce football highlights or hundreds of thousands for reading out news headlines but loyalty to the licence fee the speech did not repeat Nandy’s pledge on taking office in July that she would “end the culture wars” This perhaps reflects an acceptance that in this ideological conflict Her speech had nothing to say to the artistic directors and chief executives in her sectors who are caught in disputes with staff or contributors over Middle Eastern or identity politics There are no easy answers but in this – as in many areas – the new culture secretary’s speech ducked the complexity of the questions This article was amended on 27 September 2024 An earlier version said that Carla Denyer and Thangam Debbonaire stood for election in the Bristol West constituency; it was instead Bristol Central UK culture minister says government wants to ‘open a dialogue’ but will intervene if platforms do not comply The UK culture secretary, Lisa Nandy urging them to promote higher quality educational content to children Recent statistics suggest that although a decade ago children watched an average of two hours’ television a day, that has since dropped by more than 70%. Instead, children were migrating to YouTube TikTok and other streaming platforms between the ages of four and eight She told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the government wanted to “open a dialogue” with the platforms initially but that she would consider stepping in if they did not comply Nandy said: “A lot of content made in the UK is very high-quality content directed towards children it helps with emotional wellbeing and development “What we’re finding is that more and more children are moving on to video-sharing platforms like YouTube and it’s often not as high quality as the sort of content public service broadcasters and commercial broadcasters are producing and that’s one of the concerns as a government.” The former BBC presenter Floella Benjamin described the platforms as a “wild west” fraught with inappropriate content Nandy said while the government had already strengthened measures to take down content harmful to children she felt there was “a more profound point” around the quality of the content children were consuming you’ve got these people who start their careers from their bedrooms But there’s a balance to be struck to make sure children can find that really good quality content.” Asked about the 52% decline in funding for children’s TV between 2002 and 2018 Nandy said she did not think investing more in children’s content would help as evidence suggested the previous government’s young audiences content fund meant more content was made but it failed to reach children who don’t watch TV She disagreed with Benjamin’s assessment that children’s TV was in crisis because it “genuinely is one of the crown jewels” in the UK “The job of the government is to support that and help it to flourish,” she said noting that it tended not to be very profitable Nandy said she found monitoring what her nine-year-old son was doing on his iPad “a challenge” but acknowledged that video-sharing platforms’ filters were “very good” and appreciated that his school had instilled a Newsround-watching habit in him Free daily newsletterOur morning email breaks down the key stories of the day telling you what’s happening and why it matters She said she had written to Ofcom to ask the regulator to prioritise children’s TV and consider the challenges as part of the public service broadcasting review that is due to report in summer She said it was important for the government to strike the right balance between attracting investment from platforms such as Netflix without “harming or crowding out uniquely British content” This included striking agreements with public service broadcasters that would enable them to get more of their content online while also properly remunerating them for their investment and work Culture secretary says it should go ahead despite pressure for it to be cancelled over Taliban’s treatment of women England should be allowed to play next month’s cricket match against Afghanistan, the culture and sport secretary has said, despite calls for a boycott over the Taliban government’s treatment of women Lisa Nandy backed a decision by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to allow the game to go ahead saying on Friday that cancelling it would “deny sports fans the opportunity that they love” There is growing pressure from MPs for the game to be called off after the Taliban disbanded the Afghanistan women’s cricket team and banned women from public spaces including gyms, parks and hairdressing salons. Read moreNandy told BBC Breakfast: “I do think it should go ahead I’m instinctively very cautious about boycotts in sports partly because I think they’re counterproductive “I think they deny sports fans the opportunity that they love, and they can also very much penalise the athletes and the sports people who work very, very hard to reach the top of their game and then they’re denied the opportunities to compete. They are not the people that we want to penalise for the appalling actions of the Taliban against women and girls.” She added that the UK would not be “rolling out the red carpet” at the event saying: “When China hosted the Winter Olympics many of us were very vocal about making sure that we didn’t send dignitaries to that event that we didn’t give them the PR coup that they were looking for when they were forcibly incarcerating the Uyghurs in Xinjiang.” England are due to play Afghanistan next month in Pakistan as part of the Champions Trophy. The ECB has said it will not schedule a bilateral series against Afghanistan but that participation in an international competition such as the Champions Trophy is a matter for the International Cricket Council (ICC) ICC rules require member nations to have a women’s team but ICC members are reported to believe that allowing the men’s team to compete will help them influence the Taliban for good Free weekly newsletterSubscribe to our cricket newsletter for our writers' thoughts on the biggest stories and a review of the week’s action Despite this, MPs have called on the government to put pressure on the ECB to pull out of next month’s match The Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi asked the prime minister in the Commons this week: “Will he please agree to meet his counterparts in South Africa and Australia and ask them to boycott the games as well?” Keir Starmer refused to commit to such action, saying: “The Department for Culture, Media and Sport is in touch with our international counterparts on this issue. I welcome the England and Wales Cricket Board making strong representations to the International Cricket Council on Afghanistan’s women’s cricket team.” Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has reversed her previous stance on abolishing the monarchy, now stating that Britain needs the Royal family during a time of global "turmoil". The cabinet minister admitted she has changed her mind since 2020, when she said she would vote to scrap the monarchy if given the opportunity. Nandy explained: "I think right now, if you look at the turmoil going on in the world, then we do need a Royal family who are able to help us to deliver the benefits to Britain." In 2020, during a live TV debate with her rivals for the Labour leadership, Nandy was asked how she would vote in a referendum on the monarchy. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has reversed her previous stance on abolishing the monarchy She replied: "I'm a democrat, so I would vote to scrap it, but actually this is not the priority as a country." This contrasts sharply with her current position. "I'm not afraid to say when I change my mind and I have changed my mind about that," she told Good Morning Britain. She added: "In principle I believe that people should have the power to decide who rules them." Lisa Nandy admitted she has changed her mind since 2020, when she said she would vote to scrap the monarchy if given the opportunity. Nandy cited the increasingly volatile global situation as a factor in her change of heart. The UK faces growing instability following Donald Trump's return to the White House, with markets plunging in response to US tariffs. Trump has also disrupted the global order with plans to end conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. Since joining the Government, Nandy said she has worked closely with Royal family members on issues including knife crime. Donald Trump holds a letter from the King inviting him to the UK for a second state visit She also highlighted their role in extending Britain's influence abroad. Donald Trump has accepted an invitation from King Charles for a state visit to Britain, making the US President the first elected political leader in modern times to be hosted for two State Visits by a British monarch. Prime Minister Keir Starmer delivered the invitation in the form of a letter from King Charles during a White House press conference. King Charles has also hosted Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelensky and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. Copyright © 2024 Entrepreneur Media, LLC All rights reserved. Entrepreneur® and its related marks are registered trademarks of Entrepreneur Media LLC Veteran journalist, poet, and filmmaker Pritish Nandy, a Padma Shri awardee, passed away in Mumbai on Wednesday following a cardiac arrest at his residence in South Mumbai. He was 73. His last rites were performed later that evening, sources close to the family confirmed. Nandy's death marks the end of a multifaceted career that spanned journalism, poetry, filmmaking, and politics. Known for his fearless editorial voice, he was a prominent figure in Indian media and cultural landscapes. Veteran actor and close friend Anupam Kher expressed his grief on social media, calling Nandy "one of my dearest and closest friends." Kher reminisced about their shared bond during his early days in Mumbai, highlighting Nandy's role as a source of strength and support. "He was also one of the most fearless people I had come across. Always larger than life," Kher wrote, recalling how Nandy put him on the covers of Filmfare and The Illustrated Weekly, two magazines he once edited. A former Rajya Sabha member representing the Shiv Sena, Nandy was also a staunch advocate for animal rights. His company, Pritish Nandy Communications (PNC), was a trailblazer in the Indian media industry, being one of the first to go public in 2000. PNC produced critically acclaimed films like Sur, Kaante, Chameli, Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, and the popular web series Four More Shots Please!. Nandy authored nearly 40 books of poetry in English and translated literary works from Bengali, Urdu, and Punjabi, cementing his reputation as a literary stalwart. His contributions earned him numerous accolades, including the EM Forster Literary Award, the UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Award, and the Friends of Liberation War Honour from Bangladesh. Tributes poured in from Bollywood and beyond. Actor Neil Nitin Mukesh expressed his condolences, saying, "Deeply saddened to hear about the loss of Mr. Pritish Nandy. May his memory be a blessing." Ranvir Shorey hailed Nandy as a "maverick" who "put so many talented people on the map in the movie business." Described by PNC as a "magician with words and a true torch bearer for Incredible India," Nandy leaves behind an indelible legacy that reshaped Indian media, literature, and cinema. We'll be in your inbox every morning Monday-Saturday with all the day’s top business news, inspiring stories, best advice and exclusive reporting from Entrepreneur. The Culture Secretary has accused the BBC of failing to show enough urgency in its review of a controversial documentary on Gaza as she demanded answers from the broadcaster by early next week Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone was removed from BBC iPlayer after it emerged that the child narrator who has worked as Hamas’s deputy minister of agriculture The broadcaster apologised for the making of the programme, about children living in Gaza during the Israel-Hamas war after conducting an initial review and it has now launched a further internal probe But speaking to the PA news agency on Wednesday, Lisa Nandy said she was yet to see “anywhere near enough action” and that she expected progress to have been made by early next week “What I haven’t seen from the BBC yet is anywhere near enough action to grip the problems that have emerged,” she said “There isn’t enough urgency and I’ve been absolutely clear with the BBC leadership about that We need proper explanations about what went wrong in this case why due diligence wasn’t done on the people that were featured in the film “I’ve been really clear with the BBC leadership that I expect answers to those questions and I expect progress to be made by early next week when I intend to update the House of Commons again.” She added that it would be “very difficult to see a scenario in which it would be acceptable” for the film to made available again after BBC director-general Tim Davie declined to rule out the prospect of it returning to iPlayer. The BBC said it is “seeking additional assurance” from production company Hoyo Films after it admitted “they paid the boy’s mother, via his sister’s bank account, a limited sum of money for the narration”. Other accusations have been made that parts of the documentary were mis-translated, and more children who appeared in it were linked to proscribed terrorist organisation Hamas. In a written statement to MPs, Ms Nandy said she has been “deeply shocked and disappointed”, after the BBC and its board recognised “a number of serious failings in their commissioning and editorial processes”. She added that this “damages vital trust in an organisation which must retain the confidence of the public”, and said she spoke to the BBC chairman Samir Shah, and told him of her “concerns” on Friday. “While I appreciate that the BBC apologised for its failings, and the BBC board acknowledged that the mistakes were ‘significant and damaging’, it is vital that the BBC now takes action so that trust is restored and a serious error of this magnitude is not repeated,” she said. “Reflecting the concerns of (the) House (of Commons) I sought assurances from the chair that the fact-finding review the BBC has commissioned will be swift and rigorous. “I emphasised that it must include a robust financial audit and address concerns raised (by MPs) on translation. I made clear that the chair and his board must lead and hold the BBC robustly to account for resolving the issues already exposed, and implementing the review’s recommendations.” She also said “the BBC has provided me with further information on their approach to enhanced compliance procedures but I have not yet received the full range of assurances” and “have requested further details and assurances and expect to be provided these by the BBC leadership urgently”. “The duty to report on what is happening to people in Gaza is absolutely fundamental,” Ms Nandy also said. “That is why the Government believes that the BBC and others have a responsibility to exercise utmost care and due diligence in the way in which they report on this conflict. “It is in no one’s interest for the public not to have confidence in the information that they are receiving.” Mr Davie told the Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Tuesday he was “very sorry to the audience, because we don’t want to be in a position where we have flaws in the programme-making”. He added he had “overall” been “proud of the way we’re covering some of these polarised, fiendishly difficult events”. He also said that there had been around 500 complaints about the film being biased against Israel, and around 1,800 complaints wanted the film put back on iPlayer, and he is “not ruling anything out” on it returning to the BBC’s online streaming platform. In a letter to the BBC on Monday, Ofcom chairman Lord Grade said the regulator could step in if an internal inquiry into the making of the documentary is not satisfactory. Presenters Gary Lineker and Anita Rani, and actors Riz Ahmed and Miriam Margolyes, are among more the 500 media figures who had condemned the withdrawal from iPlayer. Former BBC One controller Danny Cohen, who was among those wanting the BBC to pull the programme, has called for a full independent inquiry. A BBC spokeswoman said: “We take these issues incredibly seriously which is why we have commissioned (director of editorial complaints and reviews) Peter Johnston to lead a full fact-finding review. That work has commenced. “It is vital that this work moves quickly, but it must also be thorough and get to the answers we are seeking.” January 9, 2025e-Paper film producer and former parliamentarian Pritish Nandy has passed away at 73 on Wednesday (January 8 Actor Anupam Kher condoled Nandy’s demise in a post on X calling him a ‘fearless’ artist and a source of strength during his struggling years “Deeply deeply saddened and shocked to know about the demise of one of my dearest and closest friends #PritishNandy filmmaker and a brave and unique editor/journalist He was my support system and a great source of strength in my initial days in Mumbai He was also one of the most fearless people I had come across But there was a time when we were inseparable I will never forget when he surprised me by putting me on the cover of Filmfare and more importantly #TheIllustratedWeelky He was the true definition of यारों का यार I will miss you and our times together my friend Columnist and entrepreneur Suhel Seth also paid tribute to Nandy “Deeply deeply saddened at the passing on of my dear friend @PritishNandy we used to often engage in harmless (and humorous) banter on Twitter A regarded magazine editor and literary voice Pritish Nandy established his production banner He also hosted the DD show called The Pritish Nandy Show Nandy was conferred the Padma Shri in 1977 for his contributions to Indian literature He was conferred the Karamveer Puraskar in 2008 Terms & conditions  |  Institutional Subscriber Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. 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Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments We have migrated to a new commenting platform If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in you may continue to engage with our articles If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle Lockton Re has appointed Srikanta Nandy (pictured above) as its chief platform officer With 25 years of experience in the insurance industry Nandy brings deep expertise in global platform delivery The company said that his appointment comes as part of its continued efforts to enhance its platform capabilities Nandy served as senior vice president at Marsh Global Analytics Nandy was involved in various data-driven initiatives including placement and billing data analytics re-engineering the Market Connect platform and developing a big data lake using AWS to support business intelligence tools and data scientists His work focused on providing insights from Marsh’s global placement and policy data to enhance operational efficiencies and carrier performance Get the latest reinsurance news direct to your inbox twice a week. Sign up here Nandy held several key roles at other organizations He spent three years as vice president of Marsh Global Analytics where he led the development and implementation of a global placement data capture system across multiple countries Nandy also worked at Cognizant Technology Solutions as an account director managing a portfolio of $48 million for a large property and casualty insurer He was responsible for overseeing personal insurance Read More: Lockton Re names Debbie Goldstine as chief growth officer, global partners including senior project manager and engagement manager he led projects focused on policy management systems and the development of client-facing platforms He also managed teams across onsite and offshore locations to deliver client programs Nandy’s career also includes experience as a client relationship manager at Aon and as a PGET at Larsen & Toubro Limited Nandy is expected to play a pivotal role in driving Lockton Re’s platform strategy and enhancing the company’s ability to deliver innovative solutions for its clients Please feel free to share your comments below Get the latest reinsurance news direct to your inbox twice a week. Sign up here Tuesday | May 06 2025 | and former parliamentarian Pritish Nandy passed away on Wednesday at his South Mumbai residence who shared an emotional tribute on social media deeply mourning the loss of his close friend Reflecting on their long-standing camaraderie “He was my support system and a great source of strength in my initial days in Mumbai but there was a time when we were inseparable.” Kher credited Nandy for surprising him with magazine covers including Filmfare and The Illustrated Weekly of India moments that Kher described as unforgettable Known for his fearless spirit and multifaceted talent Nandy leaves behind a legacy that spans poetry Nandy’s illustrious career included serving as a member of the Rajya Sabha representing Maharashtra under the Shiv Sena he was an acclaimed poet with several collections to his name a pioneering editor who redefined Indian journalism and a filmmaker who brought unconventional stories to the big screen He also championed animal rights and was a prominent creator of television and streaming content reflecting his diverse interests and contributions Subscribe to our newsletter to get updates on our latest news Next Read: Ranbir Kapoor And Raha's Day Out: Little Raha Spots The Paps Like a ProADVT. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has urged the next generation to “carry the torch” of remembrance and strive for peace ahead of the 80th anniversary of VE Day She announced the full programme of events to mark the anniversary at an event held at the National Theatre in central London on Wednesday A service at Westminster Abbey a military procession from Whitehall to Buckingham Palace and the release of a new National Theatre film are among the planned events There will also be an immersive augmented reality experience resources for every school in the country and a national call for the public to submit letters written during the Second World War Ms Nandy told the PA news agency: “You can never take peace for granted and it is incumbent in every generation to strive for peace anew “That’s particularly relevant with the turmoil going on in today’s world and we want to make sure that this generation is able to carry the torch forwards “The programme of events that we have put together with veterans and others will help not just to celebrate and honour the sacrifice and the legacy that generation gave us but also bring the past flickering back to life for this new generation “We will have a moment at the Cenotaph where we have veterans and cadets and the message is very clear that it’s up to our generation to carry that torch forwards, to honour their legacy, not just be remembering the sacrifice but by striving to protect the peace for which they gave so much.” Playwright James Graham, known for Sherwood and Dear England, has written a film called The Next Morning for the National Theatre as part of commemorations, and spoke at the event. It will showcase stories of young people after the Second World War and will be released during the four days of events. In her speech at the event, Ms Nandy said: “This is one of the last opportunities that we will have to hear first-hand from that remarkable generation. “This VE Day they will hand the torch on so that we can carry their legacy forwards. “They gave us 80 years of peace through that remarkable sacrifice. Whether we have 80 years more peace is up to us.” The event also saw speeches from actress Fay Ripley, who read a letter sent from a mother to her daughter during the Second World War, and 17-year-old Leo Oliver, who read his great-grandfather’s wartime letter. Speaking afterwards, Graham said: “Given the state of the world at the moment – whether it’s Ukraine or anything else – I think it’s really important that younger people have an education in what that generation did in terms of being brave and going out there and doing that, protecting our freedoms, and given the context of the modern-day freedoms, we increasingly just can’t take that for granted.” Pritish Nandy (1951-2025) has passed away as he lived: surrounded by ideas and a potent philosophy that redefined the realms he inhabited a maker of compelling cinema and streaming content and a chronicler of human desire and despair Nandy was the ultimate ‘nowhere’ man of myriad talents Born in Bhagalpur (Bihar) into a Bengali family Nandy’s early life bore the seeds of the questioning mind he carried throughout his life a teacher and the first Indian vice-principal of La Martiniere Calcutta formed a family whose collective intellectual legacy has influenced Indian thought in profound ways Nandy’s life read like the fragmented poetry he so often championed — layered he authored and edited over 40 books of poetry and pioneered television and digital content long before it became fashionable marked the arrival of a voice both audacious and tender heartbreaking pull and restless energy of a city he loved but left behind as seen in works like Again (2010) and Stuck on 1/Forty (2012) which contains poems written in iambic pentameter to cater to the Twitter generation looking to express itself in 140 characters and Punjabi created a bridge between cultures His version of the Isha Upanishad (2014) reveals a spiritual dimension rarely associated with his urbane persona Also read: Shyam Benegal obit: Cartographer of Indian psyche whose frames mapped our stories poetry was not a rarefied art form but a means of connecting people across barriers a poetry magazine that showcased India’s multilingual literary talents in the 1970s Dialogue became a home for contemporary Indian poetry that resisted conformity and celebrated linguistic plurality The World Academy of Arts and Culture nominated him as a Poet Laureate in 1981 strangertime: An Anthology of Indian Poetry in English (1977) came at a time when poetry in English was still carving out its identity in India Nandy’s editorial touch is evident in the selection this was their first brush with recognition their words bound together in an anthology that reads as much like an archive as it does a manifesto Poems from Arun Kolatkar’s freshly-minted Jejuri find space here charged with the latent brilliance that would later bloom in his exile-themed collections whose Missing Person had just shattered conventions with its elegance And while the absence of Arvind Krishna Mehrotra is palpable the volume feels complete in its depiction of the poetic ferment of the time and the inescapable solitude of the human condition your tongue seeking mine: this / cataclysmic despair,” unfold with aching intimacy love is not a comforting certainty but an ephemeral act a shared moment that dissolves with the dawn leaving behind an empty room and a ‘tattered skyline.’ Nandy’s language is visceral draws the reader into a world where passion and pain are inseparable companions Nandy’s stewardship of The Illustrated Weekly of India turned the staid publication into a forum for dissent As Publishing Director of The Times of India Group he simultaneously helmed The Independent and Filmfare during their most exciting years capturing the contradictions of a nation torn between tradition and modernity Leaving behind the institutional comforts of the Times group he launched Pritish Nandy Communications (PNC) in 1993 What began as a bold entrepreneurial venture evolved into a pioneering content company reshaping Indian cinema with films like Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi and shows like Four More Shots Please! flawed women to the forefront of storytelling PNC’s contribution to the evolution of Indian content cannot be overstated explored the vulnerabilities of urban life offering viewers stories that were both deeply personal and universally resonant It produced films that broke the mould: Kaante and Chameli and intellectual depth to a formulaic medium When Nandy entered the Rajya Sabha in 1998 as a Shiv Sena nominee the irony was not lost on anyone familiar with his eclectic But Nandy brought to politics the same incisive intellect that defined his journalism and poetry He served on multiple parliamentary committees from defence and foreign affairs to communications His tenure (1998-2004) was marked by a pragmatism that belied his bohemian image Nandy’s ability to bridge seemingly irreconcilable divides — be it between art and commerce or activism and governance — was perhaps his most underrated gift Also read: Zakir Hussain obit: The maestro who made the tabla sing and do all the talking The Culture Secretary has left the door open to wealthier households paying more for the BBC as she considers alternatives to the licence fee Lisa Nandy told the PA news agency she could be open to replacing the flat licence fee with a sliding scale after a suggestion by the BBC’s new chairman Samir Shah, who took over as chairman in March last year, told the Sunday Times he would be in favour of a more progressive way of paying for the corporation saying: “Why should people who are poor pay the same as people in wealthy households?” Ms Nandy told PA: “We are keen that whatever we do in the charter review that it commands broad public support and that it is progressive It’s harder for poorer households to pay it and we’ve seen some horrendous cases where the BBC has prosecuted mainly vulnerable women for not paying the licence fee “We think that’s completely unacceptable.” In November last year, Ms Nandy said the Government would use a review of the BBC’s royal charter to consider alternative ways of funding the corporation. So far, she has only ruled out using general taxation to fund the BBC, saying this would leave it too open to interference from the government of the day, and insisted the public should be involved in decisions on the licence fee. She told PA: “I think it’s too early to be speculating about the right approach. I think it’s important that both the BBC and the Government are respectful of the fact that this has to be a public conversation. “The BBC doesn’t belong to the Government or the BBC, it belongs to the people of this country, and they have to be central to the conversation about how we safeguard its future, not just for the next decade but well into the latter half of this century.” The Government has committed to increasing the licence fee in line with inflation each year until 2027, starting with a rise from £169.50 to £174.50 next month. That rise follows years in which the licence fee was first frozen and then increased at a slower rate than the BBC expected, leaving the corporation increasingly cash-strapped. Other options suggested for funding the BBC include a subscription model, but Mr Shah said it “would not meet the BBC’s key role to offer something for everyone in the country”. It is not true to suggest the Government is watering down measures to protect against grooming gangs, Lisa Nandy said after ministers faced questions about the future of a series of local inquiries into the issue Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips faced a backlash in the Commons for not providing an update on local reviews into grooming the Government had previously promised She was questioned about the fate of the inquiries as she announced a new child protection authority will be created to address one of the central recommendations of Professor Alexis Jay’s major investigation into child sexual abuse Asked if it was true to suggest ministers were watering down their plans after the lack of update on the plans Culture Secretary Ms Nandy told Times Radio: “No “The truth is that we are listening to victims and authorities around the country about the need to give them the right tools to tackle it “We believe that decisions are best made by those with skin in the game in their own communities Ms Nandy said ministers did not want to “impose one system from Whitehall, which might give us a decent press release in the media but doesn’t actually tackle the problem”. The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) led by Prof Jay found institutional failings and tens of thousands of victims across England and Wales. In January, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper vowed to set out a timetable for implementing the recommendations of the inquiry. A series of “victim-centred, locally led inquiries” in five areas would be among the steps carried out, she said at the time. Conservative frontbencher Katie Lam was among those asking in the Commons about the future of these inquiries. “Over three months since the Government announced these local inquiries, Tom Crowther KC, a barrister invited by the Home Office to help establish them, knows almost nothing about their progress, and neither do we,” she told the Commons. Also Read: Pritish Nandy's Fight With Dev Anand: When Guide Actor Threatened Him With An Impolite Legal Actionadvertisement Pritish Nandy’s recent demise at the age of 73 has stirred mixed reactions. While his close friend, Anupam Kher penned a heartfelt tribute for the departed producer, Neena Gupta made headlines with a shocking comment that read:ADVT Writer-filmmaker Pritish Nandy passed away at the age of 73 on Wednesday The veteran journalist died after suffered a cardiac arrest at his south Mumbai home News of his demise has prompted a flurry of condolence messages with several prominent personalities including actor Anupam Kher noting that they were ‘heartbroken’ by the update I learnt so many things from him,” Kher wrote politician — penning at least 40 volumes of poetry in English and producing dozens of films and web series through his company He served as member of the Rajya Sabha as candidate from the undivided Shiv Sena and founded India's first animal rights NGO — People for Animals — in 1992 his web series — 'Four More Shots Please!' — was nominated for an Emmy award Here are 7 things to know about Pritish Nandy: Catch all the Business News , Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates. Download the Mint app and read premium stories Log in to our website to save your bookmarks. It'll just take a moment. has pledged to move the government’s art collection “out of the basement and into our communities” as she promised to reverse an “erasure of culture and creativity from our classrooms” under the last government Media and Sport (DCMS) in Whitehall this morning I’ve watched with great sadness as culture and creativity were erased from our classrooms This is something I am absolutely determined to change.” Spreading opportunity in the arts across the UK regions with a focus on secondary school education But I am acutely aware that opportunity is not This government will take art back into schools and classrooms across the UK.” Nandy's focus on access to art will involve a reassessment of how the government’s extensive collection is used She said: “The government’s art collection belongs to us all I am going to lead by example to ensure everyone can see the incredible works of art held in the collection We want to inspire the next generation of British artists.” Nandy made the statements while announcing that the British artist Denzil Forrester had won the Robson Orr TenTen Award 2024 a philanthropic initiative from the Government Art Collection sponsored by Sybil Robson Orr and Matthew Orr He came to recognition during the early 1980s for paintings of reggae and dub nightclub scenes in Hackney the artist positioned himself on the edge of the dance floor at the Falmouth Reggae Festival in Cornwall drawing the thronging dancers in real time Forrester then collaborated with artisans at the Printmakers workshop in the village of St Forrester said of Altar: “I’ve shown how light and sound distort the space and used an aerial view to watch the scene unfold from above So it incorporates a lot of what I use in my paintings as well as the brilliant light of Cornwall.” a four-plate etching titled Altar that depicts a reggae festival in Cornwall will now be displayed in UK embassies around the world Eleven prints will also be available to buy from Stephen Friedman Gallery Funds raised from the sale of the prints will be used to support under-represented artists in the UK became the culture secretary in July after the Labour party was voted into power in the general election that month She held four shadow positions in opposition most recently shadow cabinet minister for international development but her CV demonstrates scant experience of the culture sector “Touring the government art collection has been a highlight of my first few weeks in this role,” she said “It’s a treasure trove that reflects the incredible talent we have in every part of our country “It’s our intention as a new government that normal people will be able to have the same experience I did rifling around and being inspired by the incredible works of art that the government owns.” During the Labour conference in September, Nandy announced that a review of the public funding body Arts Council England would take place under her stewardship of DCMS, but in a recent interview with the Financial Times she said these plans had been paused in favour of a wider review of arts funding in the country. She also pledged to review how reliant the sector is on philanthropic donations which, she noted, generally go to major cultural institutions in London and other large cities. In her conference speech, Nandy noted that the number of children taking arts GCSEs across the UK has dropped by 47% since 2010. with all-star jury set to announce cash prizes for three winners news15 January 2024Revealed: the latest set of pictures adorning UK prime minister’s houseNine works from the Laing Art Gallery in Newcastle displayed as part of the “museum in residence” programme are a mirror to life in the north-east of England news10 October 2024New UK arts minister: 'I am passionate about people being able to make a career out of art'In front of a crowd at Frieze Masters, Chris Bryant MP discussed funding, culture wars and the importance of education Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has called on the BBC to act on the failings in the broadcast of a Gaza documentary so “a serious error of this magnitude is not repeated” as she pushed for a review to include translation and finance issues after conducting an initial review and it has launched a further internal probe The BBC said it is “seeking additional assurance“ from production company Hoyo Films after it admitted “they paid the boy’s mother Other accusations have been made that parts of the documentary were mis-translated and more children who appeared in it were linked to proscribed terrorist organisation Hamas Ms Nandy said she has been “deeply shocked and disappointed” after the BBC and its board recognised “a number of serious failings in their commissioning and editorial processes” She added this “damages vital trust in an organisation which must retain the confidence of the public” and said she spoke to the BBC chairman Samir Shah “While I appreciate that the BBC apologised for its failings and the BBC board acknowledged that the mistakes were ‘significant and damaging’ it is vital that the BBC now takes action so that trust is restored and a serious error of this magnitude is not repeated,” she said “Reflecting the concerns of (the) House (of Commons) I sought assurances from the chair that the fact-finding review the BBC has commissioned will be swift and rigorous “I emphasised that it must include a robust financial audit and address concerns raised (by MPs) on translation I made clear that the chair and his board must lead and hold the BBC robustly to account for resolving the issues already exposed and implementing the review’s recommendations.” She also said “the BBC has provided me with further information on their approach to enhanced compliance procedures but I have not yet received the full range of assurances” and “have requested further details and assurances and expect to be provided these by the BBC leadership urgently” “The duty to report on what is happening to people in Gaza is absolutely fundamental,” Ms Nandy also said “That is why the Government believes that the BBC and others have a responsibility to exercise utmost care and due diligence in the way in which they report on this conflict BBC director-general Tim Davie told the Culture, Media and Sport Committee he was “very sorry to the audience, because we don’t want to be in a position where we have flaws in the programme-making”. He added to MPs on Tuesday that he has “overall” been “proud of the way we’re covering some of these polarised, fiendishly difficult events”. Mr Davie also said that there had been around 500 complaints about the film being biased against Israel, and around 1,800 complaints wanted the film put back on iPlayer, and he is “not ruling anything out” on it returning to the BBC’s online streaming platform. Presenters Gary Lineker and Anita Rani, and actors Riz Ahmed and Miriam Margolyes are among more the 500 media figures who had condemned the withdrawal from iPlayer. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy says she has sought “cast-iron assurances” that Hamas did not receive any money for a BBC documentary about Gaza which featured the son of a former official of the militant group Shadow culture secretary Stuart Andrew raised concerns that £400,000 of public funds had “indirectly supported a terrorist organisation” Responding to an urgent question in the Commons, Ms Nandy said she will keep MPs informed about the findings of an internal BBC investigation. The corporation removed the documentary, Gaza: How To Survive A Warzone, from iPlayer after it emerged that the child narrator is the son of Ayman Alyazouri, who has worked as Hamas’s deputy minister of agriculture. After the discovery about Abdullah Al-Yazouri, who speaks about life in the territory amid the war between Israel and Hamas, the BBC added a disclaimer to the programme and later removed it from its online catch-up service. Speaking in the Commons on Thursday, Ms Nandy said: “The BBC has clear editorial guidelines to report Hamas as a proscribed terror organisation by the UK Government. That was their policy under the last government, and it remains their policy now. “I also held discussions with the BBC director general earlier this week, at my request, in order to seek urgent answers about the checks and due diligence that should have been carried out ahead of the screening of a recent documentary into Gaza, about the commissioning, the payments, and the use of licence fee payers’ money. “I also sought cast-iron assurances that no money paid has fallen into the hands of Hamas and that the utmost care was taken to ensure that was the case. “I expect to be kept informed about the findings of the internal BBC investigation, and I will be happy to update (Mr Andrew) and colleagues across the House on its progress.” Mr Andrew said the Government’s response to the allegations against the BBC was “concerning”. He added: “As the UK’s public broadcaster, the BBC has a duty to provide accurate and impartial news and information, which is particularly important when it comes to coverage of highly sensitive events. But in this case, it is clear the BBC has fallen far short of these standards. “Shortly after airing, reports emerged that the documentary was reportedly narrated by the son of the senior Hamas figure. Initially, the BBC defended the programme as an invaluable testament to the conflict and kept it available on iPlayer. “Only after significant public backlash did the BBC decide to withdraw it. “Then we learned that on at least five occasions, the words Yahud or Yahudy – Arabic for Jew or Jews – were changed to Israel or Israeli forces or were removed from the documentary. “And then we learned that up to £400,000 in public funds may have indirectly supported a terrorist organisation.” On the Secretary of State’s meeting with the BBC, Mr Andrew asked: “Did she support our calls for a full independent inquiry into this documentary via the BBC? “And what commitment did she get from the BBC this will never happen again, and if criminal investigation has to take place, what will happen?” Ms Nandy replied: “As he knows I have a longstanding history of taking antisemitism incredibly seriously, including when it poisoned my own party, and I will always speak out, without fear or favour, when I see it rear its ugly head. “I am deeply disappointed, though, at his attempt to try to pretend that the Government has been anything other than robust on this.” In an open letter, hundreds of TV and film professionals and journalists, including broadcaster Gary Lineker and actor Miriam Margolyes, criticised the decision to remove the documentary as “politically motivated censorship”. Labour MP Chi Onwurah asked Ms Nandy to confirm the BBC had “subcontracted” the programme, adding: “It is essential that their stories be told, and it is unacceptable that the BBC should have chosen to tell them through those connected to Hamas, but we understand that the BBC is not allowed into Gaza.” The Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West MP also asked whether the BBC had a publicly available “translation guide”. Ms Nandy said the documentary “was commissioned by an external organisation”, but that “in no way absolves the BBC from responsibility of doing due diligence on a programme that they air”. A publicly available translation guide “might help to assuage some of the concerns”, she added. Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said the BBC “has got it badly wrong”, adding: “Once again, we’re told that lessons will be learned. Does the Secretary of State think the BBC is incompetent, negligent or just riddled with antisemitism?” Ms Nandy replied: “I think the BBC has serious questions to answer.” Shockat Adam, Independent MP for Leicester South, said: “Does she agree that children, who were the narrator of this show specifically, cannot be held accountable for the actions of their parents, or is this just an extension of (Benjamin) Netanyahu’s policy of collective punishment of the Gazan people?” Ms Nandy replied: “Of course I agree with him that children can’t be held responsible for relationships that they have. “But can I also be very clear with him that if this child in question is related to a senior official in Hamas, then that is important context for viewers to understand, and not to inform the public about that falls way short of the standards we would expect of our national broadcasters.” Minister claims ‘self-defeating virtue signalling’ campaign against festival sponsors is ‘killing off’ culture Supporters of the political campaign to boycott literary and arts festivals have been fiercely criticised by culture secretary Lisa Nandy self-defeating virtue signalling and moral puritanism” Ms Nandy rejects claims by campaigners that their protest is aimed at sponsors linked to Israel and fossil fuel companies – and not the festivals themselves Her intervention in the inaugural Jennie Lee lecture comes after a number of festivals, including the internationally renowned Hay Festival, ended sponsorship by the Baillie Gifford investment management firm. Singer Charlotte Church and comedian Nish Kumar were among those who pulled out of last year’s Hay Festival over its connection to Baillie Gifford. In a speech marking the 60th anniversary of Labour’s Jennie Lee, Britain’s first arts minister, Ms Nandy condemns “the farce that is the moral puritanism which is killing off our arts and culture”. People are right to be angered by “protests against any or every sponsor of the arts”, she says. Ms Nandy continues: “In every social protest you have to ask, who is your target? The idea that boycotting the sponsor of the Hay Festival harms the sponsor, not the festival is for the birds. “And I have spent enough time at Hay, Glastonbury and elsewhere to know that these are the spaces – the only spaces – where precisely the moral voice and protest comes from. “Boycotting sponsors, and killing them off, is the equivalent of gagging society. This self-defeating virtue signalling is a feature of our times.” Ms Nandy also accuses TV and filmmakers of showing a distorted view of working class people, who she says are too often portrayed in dramas involving crime and killing. In remarks likely to be seen as aimed at TV series such as Peaky Blinders, Ms Nandy said the whole nation “must see themselves at the centre of their own and our national story”. “That’s a challenge for our broadcasters and filmmakers. “Show us the full panoply of the world we live in, including the many communities far distant from the commissioning room which is still far too often based in London. “But it’s also a challenge for every branch of the arts, including the theatre, dance, music, painting and sculpture. “Let’s show working class communities too – and not just featuring in murder and gangland crime series.” says culture secretary Lisa Nandy","description":"Minister claims ‘self-defeating virtue signalling’ campaign against festival sponsors is ‘killing off’ culture Neena Gupta recently took social media by storm when she accused Pritish Nandy of ‘stealing’ her daughter Masaba Gupta’s birth certificate The incident happened when Anupam Kher took to condole the late filmmaker senior journalist’s death on his official handle “He stole my baby's birth certificate and published it senior journalist S Balakrishnan has clarified that it was him that got the certificate and not Nandy the late filmmaker had published her birth certificate in The Illustrated Weekly Of India He was the publication’s editor-in-chief at the time He had broken the news that she was Gupta and legendary cricket player Vivian Richards’ love child SEE ALSO: Neena Gupta Leaves Controversial Comment On Anupam Kher's Tribute To Pritish Nandy: 'No RIP For Him, He Stole…' In an exclusive interview with the Free Press Journal Balakrishnan revealed that he was the one who had gotten the birth certificate through his contacts The senior journalist also slammed Neena Gupta for her distasteful remarks on Nandy’s death He even slammed her for holding a grudge for so long was working as the Senior Associate Editor at Illustrative Weekly of India He revealed that it was Pritish who told him about Richard being Masaba’s father but having no proof The only proof was Masaba’s birth certificate ‘You give me some time.' The fact remains we had proved we have broken the story.” Expressing his shock over the Badhaai Do actress calling the late journalist a thief he stated that the allegation is “far from the truth.” SEE ALSO: Neena Gupta Admits Taking On 'Bure Bure' Roles For Money; 'Bhagwan Se Prarthna Karti Thi' “I went down to the municipal office in In Andheri because Neena was staying in Juhu I just guessed that the delivery must have taken place in one of the maternity homes in the Juhu area and I happened to know somebody there.” He went on to add that he explained to the person that since Neena and Vivian are celebrities the news that they have a love child should be shared with the world That is how he got a Xerox copy of the fashion designer’s birth certificate He proceeded to explain that he came back to the office and gave it Pritish Nandy Excited that he got the proof within a matter of a few hours the story about the same was published on the front page “It's a different matter that he put the story on the front page but did not give me the byline He should have actually given me a joint byline but I am not the type to crib or cringe about these things.” “I'm really shocked that Neena is holding that against Pritish and calling him a thief and saying that he has stolen her child's birth certificate which is far from the truth And she has recently used extremely abusive language for him Arts Everywhere Fund will improve cultural offerings in communities and on the curriculum Culture has been “erased” from communities and curriculums, according to the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy who vowed to make the arts more accessible by announcing new funding for England’s “crumbling” cultural infrastructure The £270m fund will support attractions “in urgent need of financial support to keep them up and running helping to carry out vital infrastructure work and improve long-term financial resilience” Nandy said: “For too many young people in this country culture hasn’t just been erased from the curriculum it’s been erased from our communities as well “The Arts Everywhere Fund is designed specifically to address that to make sure that communities who value their heritage and the contribution that they’ve made to this country can still continue to open those institutions to communities and tell that story as part of our national story.” The money includes £120m, which will be available to 17 leading institutions such as the British Museum National Gallery and National Museums Liverpool which all get money directly from the DCMS Those venues will also receive a 5% increase in their annual grants, but that increase will not be given to institutions that get their money from Arts Council England. Nandy said that the money would “shore up those institutions that are at risk of closure” and support our “crumbling infrastructure” When asked if the money will go far enough Nandy said the government investment should lead to more philanthropic funds flowing away from London and into the regions She said: “Small amounts of government money can unlock much larger sums we’ve seen philanthropy step in to fill the gap that’s been lost from some government funding But the problem is so much of that has been targeted towards a handful of major institutions The announcement was timed to mark the 60th anniversary of the publication of Jennie Lee’s white paper on the arts When Lee became the first arts minister in 1964 she tripled the Arts Council grant over a six-year period and pumped resources into regional arts institutions Nandy said that today not enough children felt comfortable in the country’s cultural institutions “I come from a family that is heavily steeped in the theatre,” said Nandy whose father sat on the board of the National Theatre and whose sister worked at the Royal Exchange in Manchester “I’m very comfortable in those spaces … I’m welcome But too many kids growing up today just don’t have that feeling One of the things I’m going to ask the arts world to do more of today is to open their doors to the communities to make sure that they are properly community spaces.” the government confirmed a £10m investment into the British Library North in Leeds while a further £5m went to the National Poetry Centre in the same city as part of a £47m fund for culture projects The £10m for the British Library North will be spent revamping the Egyptian-style Temple Works building which is a derelict Grade I-listed building that will be converted into a northern outpost for the library The £5m for the National Poetry Centre will renovate a Grade II-listed building to create a national headquarters for poetry Culture secretary announces investment in arts at Gateshead summit and accuses Tories of stifling creative industries Arts and the creative industries will be a key part of the UK government’s drive for economic growth, the culture secretary, Lisa Nandy has said as she promised to “bulldoze” barriers that hold back potential Nandy gave a speech in Gateshead where she vowed to “turbocharge” the nation’s creative industries She was speaking on Friday at the first Creative Industries Growth Summit where audience members included bosses from companies such as Netflix and Spotify and leaders of publicly funded arts organisations including the V&A and the Edinburgh international festival Nandy accused previous Conservative governments of not appreciating and “underpricing” the economic value of arts and culture Nandy announces a £60m package of support to drive growth at the Glasshouse, Gateshead. Photograph: Gary Calton/The ObserverShe said: “Every government has understood the cultural value of the creative industries. They’ve understood the social value. Very little attention has been paid to the economic potential. “It is one thing to talk, it is another to act. The creative industries have not been shy in coming forward to tell us what is holding them back.” She added: “Too often you’ve done extraordinary things, not in partnership with your government, but despite it. You’ve been knocking on doors in Whitehall for far too long with a clear message. You want the stability that gives investors confidence to back you. You want a government willing to take a bulldozer to every barrier to growth.” Nandy said the government was “taking the brakes off” some of the fastest growing industries in the UK. “Investors like Netflix and Amazon are banging on our door wanting to invest in projects. By partnering with them, we know that we can do more.” Nandy said creative industry bosses told her time and again about skills shortages stemming from a lack of investment and the downgrading of arts subjects on the school curriculum. “It is a tragedy when you think of how many children would love to get jobs in film or fashion or video games, but simply can’t.” It would be like “dreaming of going to the moon” and that can’t be right, Nandy said. During her speech, Nandy announced a £60m package of support to drive growth. The biggest chunk, £40m, is, the government said, to support grassroots creative ventures such as start-up video game studios, music venues and other creative businesses. Free newsletterGet the day’s headlines and highlights emailed direct to you every morning Read moreFour UK cultural projects will receive funding, including a new internationally recognised Centre for Writing in Newcastle, which gets £5m The others are: £5m for Glassworks: Sunderland a “world-class facility for glassmaking”; £3.5m for Harmony Works a music education centre in Sheffield; and £2.7m for The Tropicana There were cheers during Nandy’s speech when the investment in the Centre for Writing in Newcastle was announced. Claire Malcolm, the chief executive of New Writing North said she was thrilled and excited to get government support Nandy also praised the plans to build studios on the former crane-making Crown Works site on the banks of the Wear in Sunderland which the government is supporting with money The north-east should become the “Hollywood of the UK” It was a positive day in which more than 250 people gathered from the creative sector but in the background was always the fear that the arts might be first in line if big government spending cuts are to come suggested the days of the arts being an optional extra were over “Arts and creativity and culture is not a ‘nice to have’ It is an essential part of who we are as a country,” she said they just haven’t seen themselves reflected in our national story but for us this is not just about stardust This article was amended on 20 January 2025. Owing to an editing error, a previous version said that £5m was being given to the National Glass Centre in Sunderland; in fact, this award is for a new centre to be named Glassworks: Sunderland Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Complete digital access to quality analysis and expert insights complemented with our award-winning Weekend Print edition Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times The culture secretary Lisa Nandy has revealed plans to bring the Government Art Collection into communities across the UK features more than 15,000 works of art from the 16th century to present day Pieces from the collection are displayed in UK government buildings and embassies around the world Speaking at the announcement of the Government Art Collection’s Robson Orr TenTen Award this week Nandy said: “It's our intention as a new government that more people will be able to have that incredible experience that I had rifling around through the amazing artworks over the years being able to see that talent that's celebrated and being able to be inspired by so many of those incredible works of art.” The culture secretary said she was “determined to get the nation's great artworks out of the basement and into communities where they belong” She said: “We're going to lead by example with the Government Art Collection to make sure that people in every part of our country can see what an incredible treasure trove that is and in turn inspire us to go and create for the next generation Nandy said it had been a “great sadness” for her to see culture and creativity “erased from our classrooms and our constituencies” “It's something that has been neglected and we are absolutely determined that will change larger life belongs to every child in our country,” said Nandy The government is seeking to ensure “that becomes a reality for [children] again" maybe one of them then can go on to share their gifts with all of us and with the world." the Robson Orr TenTen Award sees a British artist commissioned to create a new artwork to add to the collection The 2024 award was presented to the Grenada-born artist Denzil Forrester for his work Altar which depicts a scene from a reggae music festival in Cornwall The award is sponsored by philanthropists Sybil Robson Orr and Matthew Orr Museum sector bodies have welcomed the new government’s commitment to widening access to art and culture, but have warned ministers that structural funding is urgently required to keep the sector afloat in light of severe financial pressures Museums Association director Sharon Heal said: “We absolutely support getting art and objects out into the regions and into community settings But let’s not forget that there’s plenty of great art and many nationally significant collections in regional settings already and many local and civic museums are facing insurmountable financial pressures that mean they are struggling to care for and share their collections “We urgently need these structural funding issues to be addressed and are calling for emergency funding for civic museums across the UK.” Most Museums Journal content is only available to members Join the MA to get full access to the latest thinking and trends from across the sector he suffered cardiac arrest and left for his heavenly abode Take out a subscription to get immediate access to Broadcast: Get your ideas seen by the industry’s biggest names with the help of the leading TV development site Unlock essential intel on what top commissioners and distributors are looking for and how you can work with them By 2025-05-02T08:22:00 Culture secretary dismisses the idea over fears of stymieing inward investment as VLV members support measure Access premium content subscribe today If you have an account you can SIGN IN now Site powered by Webvision Cloud