An MSP has hit back after Matt Hancock claimed one of his proudest moments as culture secretary was 'making sure we got Union Jacks at the Edinburgh Festival."
The Tory leadership hopeful told the BBC: "I want to see the UK government doing more to explain the value of the Union... those symbols are important, as is the hard policy of improving people's lives."
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But the Edinburgh International Festival replied to the claim, saying there was no such initiative last year.
The EIF said: “We don’t believe that Mr Hancock’s comments relate specifically to any International Festival initiative.
“The International Festival also doesn’t have a policy for the use of national flags but instead reviews their use on a case-by-case basis.”
Scotland's long-serving culture secretary Fiona Hyslop called Hancock's statement 'nonsense' and said the UK Government “didn’t know the difference” between Edinburgh’s world-famous arts events
What nonsense! @MattHancock says best thing he did as UK Culture Secretary was get Union Flag on Edinburgh International Festivals!! 1.He didn't 2. It would be completely wrong for UK Gov or indeed any Gov incl @scotgov to try and hi-jack/ appropriate independent arts Festivals!
— Fiona Hyslop (@FionaHyslop) 5 June 2019
She wrote on Twitter: “What nonsense!
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“Matt Hancock says the best thing he did as UK Culture Secretary was get Union Flag on Edinburgh International Festivals!! He didn’t.”
She added: "Oh and didn't notice funding either! Some MOD support for Tattoo I would expect and a small one-off Fringe funding when PM visited which was probably intended for the Edinburgh International Festival but they didn't know the difference!"
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