Tate chief backs free admission as Tories do U-turn

Sir Nicholas Serota said the Government's policy had brought young and new audiences and had worked "incredibly successfully".

His strong defence of free entry, a linchpin of New Labour's cultural thinking, follows embarrassment for the Tories over suggestions that they will let museums impose charges.

Shadow culture secretary Hugo Swire let slip that the party was considering letting museum and gallery directors decide for themselves without facing any penalty.

"We do not want to ban free admissions, but we believe museums and galleries should have the right to charge if they wish. They could use the money to make their facilities even better and could have special arrangements allowing continued free access for children, students and others," he told the Mail On Sunday.

After an intervention from Central Office, Mr Swire was forced to issue a statement shifting his position. He said: "It is not our policy to bring back admission fees to museums and galleries and we are committed to the principle of free admission."

But he stressed all ideas were up for consideration by an independent committee the Tories have appointed to investigate the arts under the chairmanship of Sir John Tusa.

"Sir John has a free hand to look at all options over areas such as promoting and funding the arts. We await Sir John's recommendation before we announce any policy," he said.

Sir Nicholas refused to criticise the Tories for raising the idea. But he said: "The Tate has always been free except for three months in 1974 and our trustees have always felt that free admission was the right principle for national collections which are owned by everyone.

"For the Tate, free admission has worked incredibly well in terms of bringing new audiences into contact with contemporary art."

Labour chairwoman Hazel Blears rounded on Mr Swire, an Old Etonian, saying: "They want to deny the British people the chance to visit museums and galleries free of charge and again make them the elite preserve of a privileged few."

The Prime Minister is expected to announce today that Sir John, outgoing managing director of the Barbican, will take over as V& A chairman of trustees this autumn.