Quero um ministro assim para Portugal

James Purnell will be good for the arts

The new secretary of state for culture is one of those rare creatures - a culture minister who actually goes to the theatre, reads books and listens to music.

James Purnell: a rare creature. Photograph: Graham Turner

So James Purnell is the new secretary of state for culture -- and it's an appointment that shows every sign of being good for the arts. Purnell is one of those rare creatures - a culture minister who is actually cultured (like Chris Smith). The MP for Stalybridge and Hyde goes to the theatre, reads books, listens to music - he even took singing lessons at one point.

An insider at the department of culture said this morning: "He's genuinely passionate, genuinely knowledgeable and genuinely really good news. When he was at the department before, he said he was determined that culture should be at the heart of what the department did." As was well as being the former minister for creative industries and tourism, he was for a time on the board of the Young Vic in London, until ministerial responsibilities meant he had to resign. David Lan, the theatre's artistic director, is a huge fan: "He's incredibly smart, he's really clever and art is in his blood." He's also a good friend of David Farr, artistic director of the Lyric, Hammersmith.

Whether he can now translate his undoubted passion into levering funding out of the Treasury, and enthusing a prime minister more known for his sporting than artistic enthusiasms, remains to be seen. Expectations will be very high.

The news that Tessa Jowell will retain control over the Olympics cuts both ways in all this. Jowell will operate out of the cabinet office, reporting to the PM, responsible for the Olympics as a whole, issues of construction and so on. Purnell will take charge of sports participation and the cultural Olympiad. On the one hand, it appreciably reduces Purnell's portfolio, making his job less important, but clearly giving him more time to concentrate on the arts, culture and the creative industries. On the other hand, it might lead to direct and possibly unseemly competition between Purnell and Jowell for Treasury funding. We wait with bated breath.