Anas Sarwar pledges action to help ‘world renowned’ arts and culture sector

Labour is pledging action to help Scotland’s creative sector “thrive” – with Anas Sarwar insisting the country’s “world renowned” culture sector has been “held back” by the SNP.

He accused SNP ministers of being “happy to pay lip service” to Scotland’s arts sector, while expecting it to “survive on warm words”.

The Scottish Labour leader has now pledged action to help artists and support creative businesses if his party wins May’s Holyrood election.

Labour is proposing to  pilot a new payment for creative entrepreneurs, which it says will support artists with promising commercial plans, helping with living costs while they establish themselves.

In addition, it is promising to set up a major events bureau, to help support Scotland’s world famous festivals, working to help attract more international investment.

A new fund would also be established to upgrade and protect venues, and the arts body Creative Scotland would be reformed – with Labour promising changes to make it more transparent and accountable.

Mr Sarwar outlined the changes his party would make as he hit out at the SNP’s stewardship of the sector.

The Scottish Labour leader said: “Scotland’s arts and culture sector is world-renowned but, for too long, it has been held back by an SNP Government that expects the sector to survive on warm words.

“John Swinney and the SNP are happy to pay lip service to our arts sector, but when it comes to delivery it is a different story.”

Mr Sarwar accused the SNP in power of having “wreaked havoc with Creative Scotland’s budget year after year”, further claiming that Culture Secretary Angus Robertson had “raided culture funding this year to bolster his own operation”.

The Labour leader continued: “Scotland’s creative industries are so important to our national culture, our identity and our economy and they need a government that is truly on their side.

“Scottish Labour will make arts and culture engines of growth and deliver opportunities in every part of Scotland.

“We will unlock the full potential of Scotland’s arts and make sure creative businesses in Scotland can set up, scale up and thrive.”

Angus Robertson, the SNP’s Culture Secretary who is a candidate for the Edinburgh Central MSP seat, said: “Scotland’s arts and culture form an important part of our national identity and are renowned the world over – helping to promote the country to a global audience, boosting our economy by billions and supporting thousands of jobs.

“The SNP has shown its continued commitment to the culture sector with increased funding with recent research showing that spending on culture in Scotland far outstrips investment by Labour governments in England and Wales.

“While Westminster governments have hammered our creative sector with damaging policies including Brexit and Labour’s reckless tax on jobs, the SNP has stepped up to provide them with the support and certainty needed to flourish.”