Dundee’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2017 will be officially backed by the Scottish Parliament next week.
In a symbolic cross-party gesture of support ahead of the Department of Culture, Media and Sport’s decision being announced on November 20, all MSPs have agreed to support the city’s case.
Dundee City West MSP Joe FitzPatrick, who is also the SNP’s business manager at Holyrood, said there was great appetite to get behind bringing the title to Tayside.
“All business managers agreed we should do what we can to support Dundee’s bid to be UK City of Culture and it showed parliament at its best,” he said.
“All parties have put aside party politics to support Dundee’s bid.”
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop will lead the short debate on Tuesday with additional contributions expected from Labour, the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and the alliance of independent and Green MSPs.
Dundee-based Labour MSP Jenny Marra also praised her fellow politicians for coming together to express their backing.
“I think it’s great there’s cross-party support because this is so important for Dundee,” Ms Marra said. “The support of the Scottish Government is vital to deliver and resource our City of Culture proposal.
“It is important for Dundee and the surrounding region and it is great the whole country is behind it.”
The Courier revealed First Minister Alex Salmond’s official backing of the bid, which the team behind it think could be vital to its perception with judges.
Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael has also thrown his weight behind the effort and Culture Minister Ed Vaizey described Dundee’s bid as having “a real buzz about” it.
A delegation will travel to UK City of Culture Derry/Londonderry next week where they will make their final presentation, along with teams from competing cities Hull, Leicester and Swansea Bay.
The six-strong team will make their case for the title to judges on Thursday, with a half-hour presentation to be followed by a question and answer session.
The city will then face a nerve-wracking six-day wait for the result.