The Stage

Chit chat: Tweeter labelled twit by Tory types

Published Tuesday 3 November 2009 at 10:55 by Tabard

A nice little spat is developing between culture secretary Ben Bradshaw and his opposite numbers on the Tory shadow culture team.

Bradshaw has been using Twitter to have a pop at the Tories at every available opportunity and has got into a rather heated exchange with Boris Johnson over the botched Arts Council England, London chair appointment.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives had revenge on two fronts recently. First, at the Culture is Right conference when Ed Vaizey accused Bradshaw of spreading incorrect rumours about Tory policy (“There are lots of rumours going round - that’s what our opponents do. There are rumours being put around by Ben Bradshaw that if the Tories win, the arts will be decimated and the BBC destroyed, but these are just what people say. It’s pathetic”).

Now, in the Tories’ weekly mail out to the cultural world, they have a section titled Twit of the Week. Yes, it’s about Bradshaw. Ball’s in your court, Ben.