LABOUR dedicates an entire section of its manifesto to Communities and Creative Britain, stating the challenge for the country is to “build on the renaissance that British sport, culture and the arts have enjoyed in the last decade” despite being in a new period of financial restraint.

They promise operational independence for major museums and galleries, with new legislation ensuring that more managerial and financial decisions in venues such as the Walker Art Gallery and World Museum Liverpool, are made by the institutions themselves.

They also plan to give greater access to works of art from the national collection, which means we could see exhibitions of major artists in Merseyside that red tape would currently make difficult to curate.

Monument conservation body English Heritage, which looks after Beeston Castle, in Cheshire, will be reviewed to give the public a greater say in the future of the nation’s built historical legacy.

Labour is also promising to build on the scheme operated by the National Theatre that provides reduced-rate theatre tickets. The Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse are participants in a similar scheme, A Night Less Ordinary, which is funded by the Arts Council.