West End musical impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber has criticised successive governments for cutting arts and music budgets in schools.
The composer branded the budget cuts the “stupidest thing that could ever have happened” and said music had the ability to transform struggling schools.
Speaking at an event at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, he added that the Brit School had its budget cut despite producing stars like Adele and Amy Winehouse.
“Take the Brit School, where they’ve had their budget cut for over 16-year-olds. That school produced Adele and it produced Amy Winehouse and I don’t think Adele’s done too badly.
“I think it’s a complete false economy because it is essential to get music and the arts in general back into our schools big time.”
Lloyd Webber was in conversation with screenwriter Richard Curtis.
