The government is still planning a £120m 'Brexit Festival' in the middle of the pandemic
Amid the cancellation of basically everything, The Festival of Brexit is still going ahead.
The £120m festival is apparently still going ahead, as reported by The New European.
Director of the festival Martin Green has said that it aims to "bring the nation together", showcase "British creativity", and bring some “joy, hope and happiness”.
Despite the complete closure of all live music venues, theatres and museums – venues which will be the last places to re-open after the pandemic – the Department for Digital Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) says it remains “committed” to the Brexit festival, set for 2022.
Advocacy group the Museums Association had called for the £120m festival budget to be reallocated to help UK arts institutions recover after the crisis.
The group warned the government that British museums risk permanent closure due to the pandemic's effect on funding streams.
The idea for the festival was originally tabled by leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg, who said that it would be a “huge celebration” of Britain leaving the EU. The festival that hopes to unite both sides, was announced by Theresa May in May 2018 and confirmed by Boris Johnson upon entering Downing Street last year.
Given that every major festival has been cancelled this year – Wimbledon tennis championships have been cancelled for the first time since World War 2 – people are feeling short-changed.
While others are outright fuming.
Suggestions for better ways to spend the dosh aren't exactly hard to come up with.
It's all about priorities though, isn't it?