Why are British politicians so afraid of culture?
sir – The extraordinary Louvre Abu Dhabi has just opened to great fanfare (report, November 10) – the result of an initiative by Nicolas Sarkozy when he was president, and the willingness of the French to use cultural initiatives to political advantage.
Over the past nine years the museum has acquired a small but well-chosen permanent collection, along with loans from the Louvre and other French museums, including the Musée du quai Branly (the legacy of Jacques Chirac, whose vision of a museum dedicated to the art of Asia, Africa, the Americas and Oceania is one of several cultural monuments founded by former French presidents).
The museum in Abu Dhabi is part of a broader initiative, with the establishment of an outpost of the Sorbonne as well as a major naval base. President Emmanuel Macron attended the opening of the museum, and made clear that it was just the start of an initiative that will boost French influence and trade.
Yet English is the common language of natives and expatriates in the region, and Britain has strong historical and business links with it. Why, then, are successive British governments indifferent to such cultural initiatives? Is it because our leaders are uninterested in the arts – or is it a fear of seeming elitist? Perhaps this is why the fine arts and football are grouped together in the same ministry.
Some British independent schools have established outposts in Asia and the Middle East, yet even the Conservatives seem reluctant to endorse them, and Labour would like to tax the independent sector out of existence.
We have a huge advantage over our competitors in this area and should be taking the lead – not pleading poverty. Abu Dhabi has paid €1 billion to France for this project. Do we have any politicians who are capable of the leap of imagination required to produce a similar undertaking?
Guy Sainty
London W1