Media Museum "saved"

The BBC should help to pay for the National Media Museum George Galloway said tonight during a House of Commons debate.

The Respect MP for Bradford West said the national broadcaster could help to "renovate its tattered public reputation" by contributing to the upkeep of the museum.

He said there could be a similar scheme where the rail industry contributed to the National Railway Museum because British taxpayers contribute to the upkeep of the rail network.

Mr Galloway commended Culture Minster Ed Vaizey for this week ruling out the closure of the Bradford-based Media Museum but said he always considered him the "lipstick on the pig" of a "Government of brutes".

The immediate future of two iconic museums in our region appears to be safe after a public outcry and protests by local MPs.

Funding for the National Media Museum in Bradford and the National Railway Museum in York was under threat because of possible budget cuts. But the Culture Minister said today there's "no reason" why they should close. Mark Witty reports.

The immediate future of two iconic museums in our region appears to be safe after a public outcry and protests by local MPs.

Funding for the National Media Museum in Bradford and the National Railway Museum in York was under threat because of possible budget cuts. But the Culture Minister said today there's "no reason" why they should close. Here's Mark Witty

Barnsley Central MP and Shadow Culture Minister, Dan Jarvis, has welcomed the news that key northern museums are no longer at risk of closure.

In recent weeks there had been mounting concern that Bradford' National Media Museum and York's National Railway Museum could face clusre due to Government spending cuts.

But today the Culture Minister, Ed Vaizey, said that there was “no question” of those within the Science Museum Group closing.

“I welcome the Minister’s comments. Across the north, thousands of people have rightly voiced their concern about the threat of closure to some of our finest museums," said Mr Jarvis.

“Museums are an important part of our heritage and they act as drivers for jobs and growth. It would have been extremely short-sighted of the Government to have allowed them to close.

“Clearly we will need to await the detail of the Comprehensive Spending Review, but this looks like a victory for both common sense and for all those people who came out and made the case to protect our museums”.

Culture Minister Ed Vaizey has today confirmed that the threat of closure hanging over Bradford' National Media Museum and York's National Railway Museum has been lifted .

"They [the Science Museum Group] asserted if there was a certain level of cuts they would have to look at closing one……..They are not going to receive those level of cuts so there is no reason why any of these museums should close," said Mr Vaizey

Philip Davies, MP for Shipley, says there are challenges ahead for Bradford's National Media Museum, but it was never on the Culture Minister's agenda to close it.

Meeting in Parliament today, MPs David Ward, Philip Davies, Gerry Sutcliffe and George Galloway pressed Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, and the director of the Science Museum Group, for answers regarding the future of the Media Museum.

MPs claim Bradford's National Media Museum has been saved by a city-wide campaign.

Bradford West MP George Galloway claims the government's culture minister said to him "tell the people of Bradford the museum is safe".

Gerry Sutcliffe MP has also tweeted the future is "looking brighter"

David Ward MP has also tweeted "museum safe...but new plan required for future".

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has just released this statement: “The Chancellor will shortly set out the Government’s spending plans for 2015/16 however we are clear about the value of The Media Museum in Bradford to the local area and the UK as a whole.”