Starmer's Musical Test: Can a Prime Minister Save UK Arts?

A Christmas performance of Handel's "Messiah" can create an illusion that all is well with British arts and culture. The music offers comfort and shared security. But this year, that feeling was mixed with disturbance. The call to "comfort ye my people" felt urgently necessary. The oratorio's reprimand against collective "iniquity" also felt strikingly modern. The UK's cultural sector faces severe problems. While not every issue is about money, funding is a central crisis. This is where political leadership is critical. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is noted as the most musically engaged leader in decades. The question now is whether he will use that understanding. He must actively fight for the arts.