A cross-party group of Northern MPs has come together to form the new Northern Culture All Party Parliamentary Group (NC APPG)to provide a strong and cohesive voice to bang the drum for Northern culture in Whitehall and Westminster.
The North’s cultural industry has been hit hard and faces an historic challenge as the global pandemic continues to affect our everyday lives. The Northern Culture APPG will promote and champion the huge economic contribution made by the North’s cultural sector, build consensus and fight for what the government needs to do to level-up and build back the North’s cultural potential now and in the longer term.
Speaking at the launch of the Northern Culture Club and the Northern Culture APPG its Co-Chair of the NC APPG James Daly MP for Bury North said:
“It’s clear that all Northern MPs are united in Parliament about the levelling-up agenda.
For the MPs that make up the APPG, we are determined to provide a strong voice in Parliament for Northern Culture for not just the cities of the North but smaller towns like my consituency of Bury North, who have great potential to flourish in the cultural sector but have sadly been hit by the pandemic.
No matter your background or where you are from, you should have access to culture. The APPG are determined to make a difference and make sure Northern culture has a roaring voice in Parliament.”
Vice-Chair of the NC APPG Alex Sobel MP for Leeds North West said: “There is such a rich diversity and heritage of culture in the North, we don’t need to look very far across the North to find a whole range of great cultural institutions. The APPG will speak up for Northern Culture and its institutions, working hard to get people back on their feet, into venues and viewing what the North can offer”.
Vice Chair of the NC APPG Jason McCartney MP for Colne Valley said: “There is so much culture going on in our Northern communities and we will work hard to make sure funding is spread fairly across the North, not just in the South. I’m looking forward to working cross-party with colleagues on this exciting and very timely APPG.”
