Letter: British Council acts as conduit
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.British Council
acts as conduit
Sir: Your leader on cultural diplomacy (21 May) proposed that the , or "some new organisation" should be strengthened in its role as cultural ambassador, with the definition of culture being as broadly defined as possible. The problem is that the path down which the is being directed is taking it steadily in the opposite direction.
The Government has concluded that the council should exploit the commercial potential presented by its worldwide network of offices. The council competes with the likes of Save the Children Fund to run health contracts, with major accounting firms to run management training courses, with universities and companies like this one to manage education contracts. In doing so it inevitably and increasingly undermines its capacity to act as disinterested and imaginative promoter of those with whom it competes.
You are right to say that there are no reliable cost-benefit equations in cultural diplomacy. But the value of the council's services can and should be subjected to performance measures. Of course, with the unmatchable advantages of over 100 publicly subsidised offices round the world the generates income for itself and for Britain. But the council's explicit belief that the best way of maximising such income for this country is by means of a state-funded bureaucracy acting as the conduit through which all good things flow remains an entirely untested proposition.
The is immensely well known around the world and it may well be that it provides the right corporate identity within which your positive vision for the promotion of British culture can be developed. Your proposal for a thorough review of how we make the most of our immense cultural capital is an essential prerequisite.
Incremental cuts leading to further commercialisation simply undermine what is best about the council without encouraging thorough reappraisal of its role and future.
NEIL MCINTOSH
Chief Executive
CFBT Education Services
Reading
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments