Local MP, Justin Tomlinson, was asked to introduce the DCMS section of the Conservative Party Conference, in recognition of his work in Parliament promoting the Creative Industries, Sports and Libraries.
Justin Tomlinson MP said, "I was delighted to be given this opportunity to introduce both the DCMS team and the Secretary of State Maria Miller MP".
Justin Tomlinson MP's speech:
Britain, our green and pleasant land, is a land of revolution. As the MP for North Swindon, a true railway town, I was proud to see Brunel standing astride his mound during the Olympic Opening Ceremony, leading Britain, leading the world in the Industrial Revolution.
How apt then that we meet this morning in Manchester to discuss our culture, heritage and creative industries. It was Manchester that was held to be the world's first industrialised city, that has hosted one of the biggest fine art exhibitions ever, that is home to the most famous football team in the world and that this year saw us retain the Ashes. Manchester has seen Britain's industrial and cultural progression first hand.
This Government recognises that the cultural life of this country is key to economic growth and our ongoing prosperity, just as the Victorians did. That is why we have continued to fund free access to our national museums and galleries, why we are spending over £500 million on improved rural and super-fast broadband and why we have invested in world class sporting facilities.
Labour criticise, saying that we don't care about broadband in rural areas, that we are forcing local libraries to close or that fewer children are participating in sport. They had thirteen years to invest in infrastructure, to support usage in our libraries and to give schools the funding and expertise to deliver a proper PE curriculum. They did nothing. It is we, the Conservatives, who are acting. Labour promised tax relief for Britain's burgeoning video-game industry, securing jobs and growth. As Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for this industry, I know that it is this Government who is delivering.
Let us not forget that is was Labour who banned competitive sport in schools, because every child has to be a winner. Do they honestly think that Britain's children sat last summer, watching the Olympics and Paralympics, discouraged from doing sport because not everyone gets a medal at the end? They could not be more wrong, nor could the cost of their failure be greater.
Sport is so important. As a child, my love for whatever sport happened to be on TV kept me fit, healthy and as I got older, kept me out of trouble. This is why our action to restore competitive sport in schools, building on the success of the Olympics and Paralympics to deliver additional funding through the School Sport Premium is so important.
In a prosperous, cultural and free society, every child should have a fit, active and inspired start in life. It is here, in telling the story of our past and framing the terms of our future, that the Olympics and Paralympics will have perhaps their greatest legacy of all.
Conference, we're going to be hearing from our Culture Secretary Maria Miller shortly, but first a video for us to remember those fantastic Games.
