Opinion with Giles Watling

Drama gives students the opportunity to think and act creatively, thus developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills that can be applied in all areas of learning and work. And, as a parent of two girls who love the arts, I have seen the value that drama can deliver in real time – it had such a positive impact on their development.

That is why, throughout my time in Parliament, I have always sought to ensure that opportunities for participation in drama and the arts are always there for young people. I formed the first All-Party Parliamentary Group for Theatre to better educate politicians on the value of the arts, both nationally and in promoting British values and goods across the globe – they will remember all of this when it comes time to make funding decisions. I also helped to secure the £1.5bn Cultural Recovery Fund, which supported so many arts institutions following the Covid-19 outbreak – ensuring that our theatres didn't close for good.

I know things are not where we would like them to be in terms of Drama accessibility in school – as the Opposition would tell us, there has been a 47 per cent decrease in participation for this subject, and access to drama opportunities is often depends on parents' ability to pay. My own experiences would lead me to believe that there is some truth in that.

And in response, the Government would, of course, say that they are committed to high-quality arts education from an early age. Ministers would also point to the proportion of students taking at least one GCSE in an arts subject remaining broadly stable over the past 10 years, and that they have committed very significant funding for arts projects, with £620 million over the past three years. I do not doubt their commitment.

Nonetheless, Ministers must recognise that we can do more to improve accessibility to drama specifically, whether this be the subject itself or the opportunity for young people to see live theatre – which is also an incredibly valuable and formative experience for young minds.

We must deliver the progressive Arts Premium that was promised in our manifesto, to guarantee participation opportunities for drama, regardless of background. And all those who love this subject must continue to bang the drum for it, to ensure it no longer misses out when it comes to the allocation of limited resources within our education system. That is what I commit to doing.

Giles Francis Watling is an English actor and British Conservative Party politician. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Clacton since 2017.