Government to appoint leading cultural figures to Soft Power Council

Two prominent cultural sector leaders are set to be appointed to a new body that will advise the government on how to use its ‘soft power’ assets.
 
Sky News reports that Sir Peter Bazalgette, Chair of the Creative Industries Council, and V&A director Tristram Hunt have been selected to join the Soft Power Council, which is expected to launch this week.
 
The council will help the government decide how to deploy its soft power assets in support of its foreign policy objectives, a Whitehall source told the broadcaster.


It will be jointly chaired by Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.  

According to Sky News, the body will “underline the breadth and depth of the UK’s strengths” in areas including culture and the creative industries.

Tom Kiehl, the boss of UK Music, and UK Sport chair Dame Katherine Grainger are also expected to be named as council members.

They will reportedly be joined by Dame Linda Dobbs, who was the first non-white High Court judge, and former Fortnum & Mason Chief Executive Ewan Venters.