Leeds 2023 festival branded 'damp squib' by Conservative leader

The European Commission said the UK was no longer eligible to have a European Capital of Culture host city after Brexit

A year-long celebration of Leeds and its culture is threatening to turn into a "damp squib", the head of the Conservatives in the city has said.

Leeds 2023 came together after Brexit scuppered its bid to become European Capital of Culture for 2023.

Councillor Alan Lamb told a meeting the festival had so far failed to capture the public's imagination.

But the council's Labour administration said the economic benefits of the celebrations were "undoubted".

Leeds 2023 celebrations cover music, dance, poetry and literature, sculpture, sport, film and comedy, officials said

Councillor Lamb made the comments at a meeting of the authority's senior members on Wednesday, as he referred to a council report which said Leeds 2023 would "let culture loose in all areas of the city".

Mr Lamb said: "Given we're now halfway through 2023, I think a lot of people in the city would be hard pressed to say they agree culture has been let loose in all parts.

"I accept there are a number of events still to come. The concern is it will it end up being a bit of a damp squib."

'Clear economic benefit'

But the Local Democracy Reporting Service said Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Labour's executive member for culture, had defended the festival.

He said events were taking place in every one of the city's 33 electoral wards and that the programme was being taken into local schools.

He also said the near £6m of council spending on Leeds 2023 had brought in extra cash from lottery funding and The Arts Council.

Councillor Pryor told the meeting more money had been spent in Leeds "than would have been here had we not gone forward with Leeds 2023".

He said that was "a clear economic benefit".

"Whatever people think of the artistic side of things - and art will always attract different opinions - it's undoubted that that money is coming into Leeds," he said.

"I've every faith this will continue to boost our economy and we've still got half the year to go," he added.