This is Why Conservatives Should Be Shot...

“A conservative is a man with two perfectly good legs who, however, has never learned how to walk forward.”
~ Franklin D. Roosevelt

I don't even want to start thinking about the reprocautions this is going to have... the change of government has been one of the worst things that has happened to this country.

As posted on: http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/jul/26/uk-film-council

Government to axe UKFC

Catherine Shoard
guardian.co.uk, Monday 26 July 2010 13.14 BST

Chairman of film industry support body condemns move to shut it down as part of cost-cutting measures affecting 16 public bodies

Tim Bevan, Chairman of the UK Film Council. Photograph: Dan Chung for the Guardian

The culture secretary, Jeremy Hunt, today confirmed he was planning to abolish the UK Film Council.
A Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) statement confirmed the proposal, rumours of which first emerged on the Deadline London blog.

The move is part of a raft of cost-cutting measures that involve the merger, abolition or streamlining of 16 public bodies.

Hunt, who was due to inform the Commons of the planned closure at 2.30pm this afternoon, proposed the council's aboliition alongside that of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council.
Hunt said: "Many of these bodies were set up a considerable length of time ago, and times and demands have changed.

"In the light of the current financial situation, and as part of our drive to increase openness and efficiency across Whitehall, it is the right time to look again at the role, size and scope of these organisations."
The Film Council's chairman, Tim Bevan, condemned the move, of which he apparently learned over the weekend.

"Abolishing the most successful film support organisation the UK has ever had is a bad decision, imposed without any consultation or evaluation," he said.

"People will rightly look back on today's announcement and say it was a big mistake, driven by short-term thinking and political expediency. British film, which is one of the UK's more successful growth industries, deserves better.

"Our immediate priority now is to press the government to confirm that the funding levels and core functions that are needed to underpin British film are locked in, especially at a time when filmmakers and film companies need more support than ever as they make the challenging transition into the digital age.

"To that end, we will work with the DCMS over the summer to identify how they can guarantee both continuity and safe harbour for British film."