Capital of Culture is confined to the continent

BRUSSELS has removed five UK cities from the race to be the next European Capital of Culture because of Brexit. Dundee, Nottingham, Leeds, Milton Keynes and Belfast/derry were all bidding to host the event in 2023 but the European Commission said “the participation of the UK in the European Capital of Culture will not be possible”.

Plans for the UK to have its turn to host a capital of culture were made in 2014, two years before the Brexit referendum. The UK government had warned that bidding cities should be aware that the title could be subject to the outcome of the Brexit negotiations.

The decision drew a furious response from the candidate cities. They were especially angered because non-eu cities in countries such as Norway and Iceland have held the honour.