David Cameron hosts star-studded reception to celebrate creative industries

 
Creative industries: Katherine Jenkins attended the star-studded event (Picture: Getty)
Standard Reporter30 June 2014

Helena Bonham Carter, Katherine Jenkins and Bruce Forsyth were among the stars invited to a Government party celebrating Britain’s creative industries.

The event, which took place in the Foreign Office and hosted by David Cameron, was hosted for starts from the film, music and television industries.

Guests sipped drinks and nibbled canapés as Mr Cameron used the event to champion the flourishing sector, which is worth £70 billion a year to the British economy.

He said: “The UK has always punched well above our weight in culture and the arts.We don't have the natural resources to rival other nations but we've got the cultural resources.

"We've always had rich seams of thought, creativity and ingenuity to mine. So tonight let's resolve to keep on leading the world with our culture.

Stars celebrate creative industries

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"You make your country so proud - you fly the flag for Britain around the world - so thank you, and keep up the good work."

Other stars at the event included movie magnate Harvey Weinstein, comics Ronnie Corbett and Michael McIntyre, television presenters Kirsty Allsopp, Aled Jones and John Barrowman, as well as Game of Thrones' actress Natalie Dormer.

Harrison Ford and Benedict Cumberbatch were reportedly invited, but neither was seen arriving.

A select group of the guests were due to later enjoy a private dinner with the Prime Minister at Downing Street.

The publicly-funded party has been compared to Tony Blair's "Cool Britannia" bash, a description that No 10 has been keen to dismiss.

Mr Blair's 1997 party attracted high-flying British celebrities like Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher, but was later seen to backfire on the then PM as invited stars later criticised his government.

The Government is due to launch its strategy on the creative industries on Wednesday, with the aim of boosting a sector which Downing Street says is worth £70 billion a year to the British economy.

Trade promotion body UKTI is publishing a Creative Industries International Strategy with the aim of doubling the sector's annual exports to £31 billion and increase inward investment by 2020.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said: "British talent, services and products are in high demand around the world and our £71 billion creative sector is one of the UK's most important industries, employing thousands of people across the country.

"UKTI's new international strategy builds on the UK's global reputation for innovation and quality by setting a goal to double creative exports, double the number of creative companies that trade and establishing the UK as the favoured location for inward investment for the creative industries sector, creating long term jobs and building a stronger economy."

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