A Labour MP has questioned the 'unjustifiable' amount of money that certain arts organisations receive from Arts Council England in relation to the entire brass band movement across England.

£50 million compared to £5,000

Conor McGinn, MP for St Helens North, used his example of the '£50 million of funding' received by English National Opera when interviewed for a recent feature on the 'Granada Reports' regional news programme, whilst in his words, "...brass bands across the whole country got just £5,000 in the last year".

He also added that brass bands "could not apply for funding for reconditioned instruments, for uniforms and that they must play at least 20 performances a year."

He added: "That's an incredible ask for just a small amount of funding for our brass bands."

The programme also featured a short interview with Mark Quinn and members of the Haydock Band from St Helens, which earlier this year won the Second Section Butlins Mineworkers Championship in Skegness.

Questions raised

However, questions have already been raised about the accuracy of the MPs claims — with no mention given in the report of the £207,000 a year from April 2018 for the next four years that is to be given to Brass Bands England through the Arts Council or individual amounts successfully claimed by brass bands and brass band organisations through their own funding applications.

4BR has tried to contact the MP to clarify his statements through his facebook page and by phone, but as yet without success.

That's an incredible ask for just a small amount of funding for our brass bandsConor McGinn, MP

Feature

To see the feature go to:

https://www.facebook.com/ConorMcGinnMP/videos/1906399603006610/