First Minister says the Conservatives should hang their heads in shame over debacle

The UK Government knew Brexit could ruin Dundee’s Capital of Culture bids.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport advised all authorities readying bids in December last year the European Capital of Culture title may be subject to the outcome of exit negotiations – six months after both the Brexit vote and Dundee City Council’s notification of the intention to bid.

A Freedom of Information request by The Courier in June this year showed there had been no correspondence between the UK Government and Dundee City Council about the city’s European Capital of Culture bid.

There was also no correspondence, according to Dundee City Council, between the local authority and the European Union about the bid.

The European Commission said nations which are not part of the European Economic Area (EEA), European Free Trade Association and who do not contribute towards Creative Europe cannot claim the title.

With uncertainty facing the UK’s involvement in all three as negotiations between the Government and EU continue, the European Commission said it is “common sense” to rule out British cities at present.

The UK Government’s letter to bid cities said any successful bids were “dependant on the outcome of negotiations” between the EU and UK Government.

A European Commission spokesman said: “They should have been aware of this, they knew from the beginning. We haven’t changed the rules.”

It is understood discussions are yet to be held on the UK’s future involvement with the Creative Europe programme.

Much has been made of non-EU nations like Iceland and Norway previously claiming City of Culture titles but both are part of the Creative Europe programme.

Nicola Sturgeon tore into the Conservatives for allowing Brexit to kill off Dundee’s European Capital of Culture bid.

Thousands of man hours pursuing the lucrative status have been wasted after it emerged the EU will not entertain any bids from the UK.

Speaking at First Minister’s Questions, Ms Sturgeon, said her government is trying to revive the bid and has called on UK ministers to “fix it”.

“I am absolutely dismayed by the news that I’ve heard this morning from the European Commission that Dundee’s European Capital of Culture bid looks as if it is going to be the latest victim of the Tories’ obsession with taking this country out of the EU against our will.

“They should hang their heads in shame.”

The FM said the Scottish Government had anticipated this issue and sought assurances Brexit would not derail the bid.

“So it is now deeply concerning that the amount of time, effort and expense that Dundee has put into scoping out their bid could be wasted thanks to the Brexit policy of this Tory government,” Ms Sturgeon added.

“We are now in urgent contact with the UK Government and Dundee to understand the potential implications of this situation and to establish what action the UK Government is going to take to address it.”

The “fatal blow” for Dundee was raised by Mairi Gougeon, the SNP MSP for Angus North and Mearns, in Holyrood yesterday afternoon.

Ms Gougeon said: “Dundee’s bid had the potential to have a massive positive impact not just for Dundee but for the likes of my constituency in Angus North and Mearns and the wider north east.

“Can I ask the First Minister what conversations she has had and the Scottish Government has had with the UK Government on this matter?”