'Politicians don't care about the arts anymore'

Claire Harvey-East, from Swadlincote, is a classically-trained soprano

A singing teacher has said politicians “don’t care about the arts anymore” and that more funding is needed in the sector to harness future talent.

Claire Harvey- East from Swadlincote, South Derbyshire, is a classically trained soprano and runs a number of singing groups.

The 61-year-old, who describes herself as a floating voter, says the state of social care for the elderly is also high on her agenda.

She said whichever party took power, they “need to do what they say they’re going to do”.

Ms Harvey- East has been performing for most of her life

Born and bred in the town, Mrs Harvey-East has lived in Spain and London.

She has performed all over the country before moving back to her hometown.

As the election campaign gathers pace, she said she had noticed politics being brought up more in conversation.

“This is just the general thing I hear from talking to people, that live round here, my singing groups, my students, they are fed up with the same old, same old,” she said.

“But a lot of that is about the cost-of-living – it affects everything. I run singing groups and people have to pay for it.

“[The arts] is first thing people cut back on, whether it’s the singing, dancing or drama, it’s the sad reality of it.”

South Derbyshire - constituency analysis

Labour strategists know if they want the keys to 10 Downing Street, they’ll have to come through Derbyshire and win big.

Rishi Sunak also pitched up in Derbyshire on day one of the campaign, highlighting how important the county is to both parties.

The South Derbyshire constituency has returned a candidate from the winning party in every election since the seat was formed.

Edwina Currie was MP for South Derbyshire between 1983 until 1997 when it switched to Labour

Home to car manufacturer Toyota, it’s an area built on a history of pottery and mining around the town of Swadlincote with affluent villages dotted around the patch.

South Derbyshire looks, on the surface, very unlikely to flip. The Conservatives have a large majority of more than 19,000.

But could the tide be turning?

Labour took full control of South Derbyshire District Council in 2023, the first time in more than 15 years.

A large proportion of the South Derbyshire electorate live in Swadlincote

Mrs Harvey-East said she feels the arts is not part of the debate.

“I don’t think politicians care about the arts anymore, they used to under people like Ted Heath and John Major – these lot are just not interested.

“There’s a lot of talented people here in Swadlincote but they need the funding – it would be nice to have a little theatre here and perform.

"A lot of my students go to Lichfield and Derby to perform because there is opportunity there and there isn’t here.”

Mrs Harvey-East with her parents on holiday in Spain in 2022

For Mrs Harvey-East, the arts are her life, but as a part-time carer for her elderly parents, the issue of adult social care is also close to her heart.

"It’s been really difficult to actually get [my parents] carers," she said.

"But on care homes, we go into them for singing sessions, a lot of them fantastically run but people can’t afford to go in them."

Mrs Harvey-East's parents have been together 75 years

The issue of potential care home closures, which is being consulted on across Derbyshire, has not gone unnoticed in Swadlincote and Ms Harvey-East said people were talking about it.

“There’s one round here that could close but where are those people going to go? Why is it closing?" she said.

“Something really needs to be done about this issue."

Mrs Harvey-East is hoping politicians can sing to her tune but admits she is undecided at the moment and needs “to do more research”.

“Maybe it’s the theatrical element to me but I need [a prime minister] who can actually speak to me and that I actually believe them.”

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