MPs in region win inquiry into museum group’s closure threat

National science museum group boss Ian Blatchford and Culture Secretary Maria Miller are among the potential witnesses set be hauled before the Commons culture committee in the coming weeks to explain proposals to close either the National Media Museum in Bradford; the National Railway Museum in York or the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester.

Two Bradford-area MPs – Shipley’s Philip Davies and Bradford South’s Gerry Sutcliffe – sit on the culture committee and have used their influence to secure the snap inquiry.

Mr Sutcliffe, a former Labour Minister in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), said: “The National Media Museum is crucial to Bradford, and I am delighted the select committee has agreed to our request to hold an inquiry into this issue.

“I very much hope that we can use this opportunity to block any plans to close the museum.”

Mr Davies, a Conservative backbencher, added: “Gerry and I made the case that this was a vitally important issue for the Bradford district and for the north of England more widely, and it is great our colleagues on the committee have agreed we can press the Science Museum and the Minister about these proposals, and hopefully see them reversed.”

The revelation last week that the Science Museum Group – which also runs the Science Museum in London – plans to close one of its regional museums if anticipated funding cuts are confirmed later this month has sparked a wave of protest across the North.

Separate campaigns have been launched in Bradford, York and Manchester to keep the museums open amid widespread criticism.

Last night the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, added his weight to the calls for all three museums to remain open, warning of a “North/South dive” over the impact of Government cuts.

“I was shocked to hear of the cuts that our museums are facing,” he said.

“We need to recognise that our cultural heritage is an important part of our country’s history. A country which forgets its heritage becomes senile.

“Increasingly it seems there is a growing economic divide between the North and the South. Too often we are seeing communities across the north of England bearing the brunt of the economic downturn.”

DCMS insists the matter remains an “operational issue” for the museum group, and that Ms Miller is still fighting to maintain her budget ahead of Chancellor George Osborne’s crucial post-2015 spending review on June 26.

But Mr Blatchford was unequivocal last week that he has been told by DCMS to expect a 10 per cent funding cut on top of the 25 per cent reduction the group has suffered since 2010.

“We’re talking to all three great Northern cities that we are in,” he said. “At the moment the risk of either very severe cuts or complete closure is a very, very real option.”

Mr Blatchford has since come under fire from within DCMS, with anonymous sources briefing that he has the “wrong priorities” after accepting a bonus worth as much as £20,000 in 2011/12.

By contrast, the directors of national museums in Wales and Liverpool chose to hand their bonuses back to their museums due to the tough financial climate.

Mr Sutcliffe has also publicly attacked the museums group over recent days for what he claims is a “nasty metropolitan snobbery” shown towards its regional museums.

Mr Blatchford now looks certain to be given a fierce grilling before the MPs when the inquiry gets underway ahead of Parliament’s summer recess in late July.

John Whittingdale, chair of the culture committee, said: “Both Gerry and Philip were very persuasive about both the importance of the National Media Museum to Bradford, and of the need for an inquiry into this to be held as soon as possible.

“The committee therefore agreed with the request to look into this as soon as time allows.”