- Home
- Past Press Releases
- Kevin Brennan welcomes government timetable for Capital of Culture 2008
| Kevin Brennan welcomes government timetable for Capital of Culture 2008 |
|
Kevin Brennan welcomes government timetable for Capital of Culture 2008:21st April 2002
The Government has revealed the timescale for the process to choose Britain's entry for the European Capital of Culture 2008, providing important information for the organiser's of Cardiff's bid for the title. Responding to a written question from Kevin Brennan, MP for Cardiff West, Dr Kim Howells, MP for Pontypridd and Junior Minister at the Department for Media, Culture and Sport, outlined the timetable which the department intends to follow during the process to select the British entry in the competition. It is hoped that the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, the Rt. Hon. Tessa Jowell MP, will be able to make her recommendation to the Prime Minister at the end of Spring 2002. Ms Jowell will make her decision after consulting with a number of bodies, including the Welsh Assembly Government, and evaluating the evidence presented by a forthcoming independent report into the various UK bids. Following on from this, Dr Howells revealed that ‘the Prime Minister will then make a nomination to the European Union. The European Union will ratify the United Kingdom's nomination during 2004.' Dr Howells' letter was warmly welcomed by Mr Brennan. Speaking exclusively to the Echo, Mr Brennan argued that ‘the next six months will be crucial to the success of Cardiff's bid to be crowned European Capital of Culture in 2008. We have got off to an excellent start and have to capitalize on that throughout the Summer and Autumn if we are to put together a truly world-beating bid. ‘We need to showcase the unique cultural heritage of the City of Cardiff and the surrounding area, and highlight our rich sporting, musical and literary traditions. Every effort must be made to win the crown of European Culture for Cardiff, as the benefits a successful bid would bring City – and all of Wales - in terms of employment, tourism and transport would be phenomenal. ‘I will continue to support Cardiff's bid, and also the South Wales Echo's continuing campaign in favour of the bid, as shall my colleagues in the Welsh Parliamentary Labour Party in Westminster.' Notes. The full list of Towns and regions applying for the British nomination is:
|
