Brussels boots British cities out of running to be European Capital of Culture because of Brexit

Brussels has kicked five British cities out of the running to be the next European Capital of Culture because of Brexit.

Dundee, Nottingham, Leeds, Milton Keynes and Belfast/Derry were all in the race to be the 2023 host in 2023 but the European Commission said “the participation of the United Kingdom in the European Capital of Culture action will not be possible”.

Plans for the UK to have its turn to host a capital of culture were made in 2014, two years before the Brexit referendum. The UK government had warned that bidding cities should be aware that the title could be subject to the outcome of the Brexit negotiations.

The decision drew a furious response from British MEPs and the candidate cities, which have spent large amounts on their bids, especially because non-EU cities in countries such as Norway, Turkey and Iceland have held the honour.

Iceland and Norway qualified for the competition because they were members of the European Economic Area, which Britain will leave after Brexit on 29 March 2019, the commission said.

Conservative MEP John Procter, who was involved in Leeds' bid, described the decision as "unnecessary and deeply unhelpful."

 "Tens of thousands of pounds have been spent and organisations have come together in cities like Leeds to prepare very strong bids. For all that to be trashed at this late stage is an absolute disgrace,” he said.

The Yorkshire and the Humber MEP added: "This is not the final word. I will be asking searching questions about exactly what is going on."

A spokesperson for the Dundee 2023 bid said: “We are hugely disappointed at this decision that has come just days before the Dundee bid team was due to travel to London to make its pitch.

 “The timing is disrespectful not only to the citizens of Dundee, but to people from all five bidding cities who have devoted so much time, effort and energy so far in this competition.”

After the Politico Europe website obtained the commission letter, Tom Watson, deputy leader of the Labour Party, said that the decision was “a great shame” and that some cities had spent up to half a million pounds on their bids.

East Midlands MEP Rupert Matthews, whose constituency includes Nottingham, described the UK's exclusion as "an act of bad faith." And accused the commission of having “strung us along”.

The scheme aims to celebrate “ the richness and diversity of cultures in Europe,” and boost tourism and cultural activities. Winning cities can apply for EU funding for those activities.

Liverpool was the last British city to receive the rotating title in 2008. Glasgow held it in 1990.