Burnham's big splash
- 6 Jun 08, 10:31 AM
The cabinet sports supremo has made quite a splash with the big idea unveiled this morning. Andy Burnham learned at the knee of the previous culture and sport secretary Chris Smith who drove through with a lot of ideas of free admissions to museums and art galleries.
Burnham learned that he had to overcome Whitehall's resistance, the scepticism of many about whether it was a waste of money, and to have confidence that making something free would massively increase participation. He was inspired once again by the fact that the Tories' culture spokesman eventually lost his job by daring to suggest that museums might charge once again.
Burnham's hope that this initiative would increase participation in sport, will help to tackle the nation's obesity problem, and it's also a practical big idea that the government needs to restore its flagging fortunes. If it worked it may well help his fortunes too.
UPDATE, 02:00PM: Who swam for free first? Much debate about whose idea free swimming really is. One minute I hear that in Wales there's been free swimming for old and young alike for some time. Next I'm told that Tory-controlled Westminster council offered free swimming for the under-16s after school some years ago. Any more offers?
